In January, America is poised to achieve the first Moon landing since the Apollo missions over 50 years ago, with the launch of the six-foot-tall lander Peregrine on Christmas Eve, designed by the Pittsburg-based space robotics company Astrobotic.
Commissioned by NASA in 2019 for this mission, the Peregrine lander will carry 21 lunar payloads to conduct experiments in a region of ancient basaltic lava flows, marking a significant return to lunar exploration.
America Returns to the Moon
Peregrine is now in a launch site in Florida for final preparations ahead of its scheduled launch on Christmas Eve, December 24, aboard the first Vulcan Centaur flight by United Launch Alliance (ULA). Astrobotic's CEO, John Thornton, expressed excitement, emphasizing the dedication and hard work leading to the upcoming moonshot.
The lunar lander, carrying 21 payloads, including five from NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, aims for a landing in the Gruithuisen Domes region on the Moon's near side. If successful, the lander will operate for up to 10 days, marking a significant milestone as the first American commercial lunar lander mission.
The launch date for Peregrine has backup opportunities on December 25 and 26 and potential launches in January. The schedule is constrained by factors such as lighting conditions at the landing site and communication access.
NASA's payloads on Peregrine include a laser reflectometer and spectrometers, with other non-NASA payloads ranging from a lunar rover developed by Carnegie Mellon University to memorial items.
Astrobotic's lunar lander mission is on track to be the first of its kind, as Intuitive Machines' IM-1 lander mission, initially set for mid-November, faces delays with a new launch date no earlier than January 12.
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About the Peregrine Lunar Lander
The Peregrine Lander is specifically crafted for accurate and secure payload delivery to both lunar orbit and the lunar surface, offering flexible mounting options for payloads to meet their specific requirements. Its avionics achieve high-speed computing on par with terrestrial capabilities, ensuring reliability for autonomous landing in the challenging space environment.
Structurally, Peregrine features a robust and straightforward design, facilitating seamless payload integration through configurable decks and enclosures. The lander's four legs serve a dual purpose, absorbing shock and providing stability upon touchdown.
Moreover, its interface options are versatile, accommodating payload types from a diverse range of entities, including companies, government agencies, universities, non-profits, and individuals.
The propulsion system of Peregrine incorporates advanced space engine technology, with five main engines handling critical spacecraft maneuvers. Attitude control thrusters in four clusters maintain consistent lander orientation throughout the mission.
The communication system employs a high-powered transponder and a combination of antennas for data relay between the payload customer and their payload. Peregrine supports both wired and wireless communications for deployed payloads like rovers.
Furthermore, the lander's power distribution system ensures a constant supply of 28-volt operational and heater power to payloads, utilizing triple-junction solar cells for continuous energy generation and a space-grade lithium-ion battery for storage.
The guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system relies on heritage algorithms with recent enhancements in machine vision navigation, incorporating standard sensors and techniques for reliability during cruise and lunar orbit.
During descent and landing, precision is maintained through Doppler LiDAR and Astrobotic's terrain relative navigation (TRN), while the option of integrating a scanning LiDAR adds hazard detection capabilities for slopes, rocks, and craters.
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