Astrobotic has admitted that a private company's lunar module is headed for Earth and is likely to be destroyed by the atmosphere, after the first US attempt to reach the moon in 50 years failed.
“Our latest estimates show that the spacecraft is heading towards Earth, where it will likely be destroyed in the atmosphere,” the Pittsburgh-based company said on the social media network X (formerly Twitter).
Astrobotic Technology said, “The team is currently evaluating possible options,” and promised to publish new updates “as soon as possible.”
The company added that the Peregrine probe has been in space for more than five days and is currently 390,000 kilometers from Earth.
An attempt to reach the Moon was abandoned after fuel leaked just hours after launch, in the early hours of Monday, from the Cape Canaveral Space Station.
However, Astrobotic confirmed that it was able to launch scientific experiments that it carried out on behalf of NASA and other space agencies, as well as collect flight data.
The company aims to be the first company in the private sector to successfully land on the moon, something that only four countries have achieved. A second launch is scheduled for February from Intuitive Machines, a Houston company.
NASA, which funded Astrobotic's Peregrine project with 108 million euros, intends to launch special probes to explore the site before the astronauts arrive, and also intends to provide technological and scientific expertise to the space agency, other countries and universities.
Although he acknowledged the setback with Peregrine, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson preferred last Monday to highlight on social media the “success” of the ULA Industrial Group’s new Vulcan Centaur rocket, which took the probe into space.
This gives NASA “more tools for space exploration,” Nelson added.
NASA leaders indicated their desire to continue increasing attempts to reach the moon to have a greater chance of success.
Astrobotic itself will have another opportunity in November with the Griffin lander, which will attempt to take NASA's VIPER rover to the lunar south pole.
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