The Peregrine moon lander, controversial for its swift mission failure in reaching the moon last week, is set to intentionally collide with Earth's atmosphere this week. The doomed spacecraft is expected to disintegrate in the upper atmosphere without making contact with the planet's surface.
Astrobotic Technology has confirmed the lander's return path from the moon's vicinity and, in collaboration with NASA, foresees the mission concluding on Thursday, January 18, with no safety concerns during the fiery reentry.
Astrobotic Abandons Landing Attempt on the Moon
The Peregrine lander, launched on January 8 from Cape Canaveral, faced an abrupt end to its mission due to a fuel leak, suspected to be caused by a stuck valve leading to a tank rupture.
Developed by Astrobotic Technology, the private space company based in Pittsburgh, Peregrine was carried into space by the new Vulcan Centaur rocket from United Launch Alliances. The lander aimed for a lunar landing in late February, envisioning the first commercial moon landing and the first U.S. spacecraft on the lunar surface since 1972's Apollo 17 mission.
Astrobotic made the challenging decision to terminate Peregrine's mission responsibly, acknowledging the impact on the future of space exploration. NASA invested over $100 million in flying experiments on the lander, contributing to the agency's initiative to commercialize lunar deliveries through private entities while the government focuses on returning astronauts to the moon.
The Peregrine lander carried not only NASA experiments but also a rover from Carnegie Mellon University, privately sponsored research, and the ashes and DNA of approximately 70 individuals, including Gene Roddenberry, the creator of "Star Trek," and science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke.
The mission's conclusion marks a setback, but Intuitive Machines, another U.S. company, is preparing to launch its lunar lander next month, continuing the pursuit of lunar exploration by private entities.
Peregrine Crashing Into Earth's Atmosphere
Astrobotic reported on X (formerly Twitter) that the Peregrine lander was initially on a collision course with Earth on Saturday, January 13. Subsequent tests indicated slight maneuverability, raising the possibility of avoiding this fate.
However, after consulting with NASA and the U.S. government, Astrobotic decided on Sunday, January 14, to permit Peregrine to crash into Earth's upper atmosphere, with the mission concluding by Thursday, January 18.
Details regarding the specific time and location of the lander's entry into Earth's atmosphere have not been disclosed by Astrobotic. Nonetheless, the company assured in a statement that they believe Peregrine's re-entry poses no safety risks, emphasizing that the spacecraft will burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
Concerns about leaving disruptive space debris in cislunar space, the region between Earth and the moon's orbit, led to the decision to crash the lander.
Although the lander's descent may pose some environmental risks, Astrobotic deems the mission a success. Despite the Peregrine's immediate failure in reaching the moon, the equipment on the lander collected valuable data from Earth orbit.
Astrobotic CEO John Thornton expressed confidence that lessons learned from this mission will contribute to a successful soft landing on the moon in their next mission.
RELATED ARTICLE: Peregrine's Peril: Private Moon Lander Faces Imminent Collision With Earth After Fuel Leak
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