On January 8, shortly after launch, the private lunar rover Peregrine encountered a fuel loss problem that jeopardizes its mission to deliver cargo to the moon. The malfunction occurred in the propulsion system, according to the developer Astrobotic.
Update #4 for Peregrine Mission One: pic.twitter.com/6uISAG3Je1
— Astrobotic (@astrobotic) January 8, 2024
According to the update, Astrobotic is trying to stabilize this loss. But given the situation, the team prioritized maximizing the scientific information and data that could be collected.
We are currently assessing what alternative mission profiles are feasible at this time.
Astrobotic
However, despite the fuel problems, Astrobotic managed to get the first photo from Peregrine.
What is known about the private space mission Peregrine.
Peregrine was launched on a new Vulcan Centaur rocket from United Launch Alliance. It marked the beginning of a new era of private lunar exploration under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
The Peregrine carried 20 payloads, including five NASA experiments and a metal plate with the image of the Ukrainian flag.
NASA sees the program as an opportunity for the development of the private space sector, although it warns of the high risks of the missions. The agency hopes to use the data to prepare for manned flights under the Artemis program.
Nova-C will be the next private lunar vehicle to be launched as part of NASA’s CLPS program. It was built by Houston-based Intuitive Machines.
Nova-C is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in mid-February.
