Peregrine lander: US’ first mission to lunar surface in half a century comes crashing down

The spacecraft, which suffered a critical propellant leak following its launch from Florida, was destined to end its journey not on the moon's surface, but by re-entering the Earth's atmosphere and disintegrating over the South Pacific.

The beginning of the end

The mission, which signified the United States' return to the lunar surface after nearly 50 years, began to unravel shortly after the Peregrine's launch. A major propellant leak jeopardised the lander's stability and made a safe lunar touchdown unfeasible. Despite the engineers' efforts to stabilise the situation, the loss of the oxidiser was a blow from which the mission could not recover.

Astrobotic, based in Pittsburgh, made the decisive call to guide the spacecraft back to Earth. This decision was not taken lightly but was deemed necessary to prevent the craft from becoming a hazard in space. Scheduled for re-entry on 18th January at approximately 16:00 EST, the mission's end marked a bittersweet moment in space exploration history.

Valuable lessons and unexpected successes

While the primary goal of landing on the moon was unfulfilled, the mission was not devoid of success. NASA's involvement, through its provision of five scientific instruments, was a key aspect of the mission. These instruments were intended to study the lunar environment in preparation for the anticipated return of astronauts later in the decade.

The mission's challenges provided an unexpected opportunity for learning and innovation. Astrobotic’s team demonstrated remarkable problem-solving skills, managing to extend the spacecraft's life far beyond initial expectations and gather valuable data. Instruments onboard the Peregrine, including the NASA payloads, were activated, proving their space-worthiness and collecting significant data about the radiation environment between Earth and the Moon.

The future of lunar exploration

Despite the setbacks, the mission contributes significantly to the broader narrative of lunar exploration. The data collected will be invaluable in future endeavours and has paved the way for subsequent missions. Astrobotic remains a part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, with plans for future lunar missions still in place.

Astrobotic’s next attempt, involving the landing of a NASA rover called Viper, is expected later this year. Additionally, the Japanese space agency aims to land near a near-equatorial impact crater, demonstrating the continued global interest and investment in lunar exploration.

If the mission had gone ahead as planned, it would have notably been the first-ever private venture to achieve the feat on landing on the lunar surface. This underpins the new ‘space race’ occurring between countries space efforts and those of the private enterprises.

Commenting on this new space-race, Paul Kostek, IEEE Life Senior Member and Principal Systems Engineer at Air Direct Solutions LLC said: “Rivaly among countries and private enterprises is increasing and accelerating aerospace development. Much like the original space race over 50 years ago, these international rivalries continue to drive innovation. For many, the moon is symbolic, there are many nations that rushing to develop launch capabilities and payloads. The challenge for the commercial leaders is understanding who their customers are and what offerings are most important to them.

“One of the big challenges with any of these new missions or launches, is when it fails. Leaders need to figure out how they are going to invest in the future to keep up the momentum and maintain confidence in the technology. The new moon ‘race’ presents an opportunity for countries to demonstrate their own prowess and the private sector has its chance to take a bite of the cherry. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. Could a private company send a person to the Moon before the Artemis team?

“More countries will be launching satellites and other missions later this year to monitor specific environments to not be dependent on other providers. With developments in space technology continually improving, some in the industry are looking further afield still setting their sights on mars. For others, the next frontier is the commercialisation of space itself, potentially harvesting resources or growing space-tourism.”