US lunar lander: 'No chance' of soft landing

Representatives from the private space company Astrobotic Technology on Tuesday announced that the Peregrine commercial lunar lander will not complete its mission as planned, saying there is “no chance” of the vessel landing softly on the moon as intended.

Astrobotics reported that the vessel had developed a fuel leak after it was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Monday, leaving it with roughly 40 hours worth of propellant by Tuesday. 

Scientists on Tuesday sought to determine what the vessel’s mission would now be, saying it could still be operated “as a spacecraft.”

Launched with the new Vulcan rocket — developed by Boeing and Lockheed Martin under the joint venture United Launch Alliance (ULA) — the Peregrine experienced a “propulsion system issue” en route.

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That meant that it was also initially unable to correctly position itself to charge its rapidly draining batteries, as its solar panels were not facing the sun. However, engineers were able to resolve the issue. 

“The team continues to work to find ways to extend Peregrine’s operational life,” said Astrobotics.

Despite the fact that the vessel will not complete its mission as planned, Astrobotics said engineers continue to receive important data that will allow it to test component and software operability for future missions.

The US space agency NASA on Tuesday also announced that its plans to return astronauts to the moon’s orbit and then later to its surface have each been pushed back by at least a year due to technical issues.

The failed Peregrine mission was part of NASA’s larger commercial program and intended to scout the moon ahead of the return of humans to its surface — now scheduled for September 2026.

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js/rt (AFP, Reuters)