Anomaly detected in lunar lander mission
- The lunar lander is the first American craft sent to the moon in 50 years
- The anomaly prevented the craft from orienting toward the sun correctly
- The craft has been reoriented, and the battery is charging
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(NewsNation) — Astrobotic has detected a potentially damaging anomaly on the Peregrine lunar lander, the first American craft to land on the surface of the moon in more than 50 years.
In a series of updates posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the company detailed the anomaly and efforts to resolve it. After issues with the propulsion system, it is not clear if the company will continue the mission to land on the moon or try to pivot to an alternative goal.
The company first noted a successful launch before the anomaly occurred “preventing Astrobotic from achieving sun-stable orientation.”
“Astrobotic-built avionics systems, including the primary command and data handling unit, as well as the thermal, propulsion and power controllers, all powered on and performed as expected,” the company said on X.
In a second statement, the company said it is gathering data and working on the problem, which could damage the spacecraft’s ability to land on the moon. The company also noted the spacecraft’s battery was reaching operationally low levels.
In a third statement, Astrobotic said it had resumed communication with the Peregrine after a known communications blackout and had successfully reoriented the craft toward the sun and is now charging the battery.
The company is continuing to investigate the propulsion system, which it believes is responsible for the issue.
In a fourth statement, Astrobotic indicated there was a failure in the propulsion system that it is attempting to stabilize but is prioritizing “maximizing the science and data we can capture” and working on “alternative mission profiles.”
The battery is fully charged, the company said in a fifth update, and it is working to complete as many payload and spacecraft operations as possible.
The Peregrine will be the first American craft to land on the moon since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. The expensive program was discontinued in favor of less-costly investment in low-Earth orbit initiatives.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
