Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander suffers propulsion issue, making moon landing unlikely
https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/08/astrobotics-peregrine-lander-suffers-propulsion-issue-making-moon-landing-unlikely/
After a successful launch on United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket this morning, Astrobotic Technology said its lunar lander has encountered critical issues with the propellant system that have likely taken a moon landing off the table for good.
In a devastating series of updates earlier today, the Pittsburgh-based startup said a “failure within the propulsion system” is causing a critical loss of propellant. “The team is working to try and stabilize this loss, but given the situation, we have prioritized maximizing the science and data we can capture,” the company said in an update posted to X. “We are currently assessing what alternative mission profiles may be feasible at this time.”