Astrobotic, the builder of the troubled private moon lander Peregrine, announced on Saturday (Jan. 13) that the spacecraft is now on a collision course with Earth. Peregrine launched towards the moon on Jan. 8 but experienced a critical fuel leak shortly after separating from the booster. This unfortunate event eliminated any chances of a soft lunar landing next month. According to Astrobotic, the spacecraft is now destined to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.
Astrobotic has been making efforts to salvage the lander and keep it alive for as long as possible. However, its trajectory indicates that it is headed towards an Earth collision. The propellant leak has presented challenges in predicting the spacecraft’s exact path. Astrobotic stated that its engineers are currently assessing options but did not provide a specific date for when the collision is expected to occur.
At the moment, Peregrine is located approximately 242,000 miles from Earth, slightly beyond the moon’s orbit. The spacecraft’s journey marked an important milestone as it became the first U.S. private moon lander to launch. It is carrying various payloads, including five NASA experiments and other commercial experiments. Notably, human remains intended for a moon burial are also among the payloads.
The fuel leak suffered by the lander compromised its planned moon landing on Feb. 23. Although the leak has slowed in recent days, a soft landing is still not feasible. Astrobotic has announced that a press conference will be held on Thursday (Jan. 18) to discuss the mission’s status.
In conclusion, the private moon lander Peregrine, built by Astrobotic, is now on a collision course with Earth after a fuel leak hindered its chances of a successful moon landing. Efforts are underway to salvage the spacecraft, but its final fate seems inevitable. A press conference is scheduled to provide further updates on the mission.