America is set to land a craft on the moon in January, marking the first touchdown on the lunar surface since the last Apollo mission more than 50 years ago.
Humans will not be making the journey, but a six-foot-tall lander called Peregrine is set to launch on Christmas Eve at 1:50am ET and arrive on January 25.
The craft was designed by Pittsburg-based Astrobotic, a space robotics company, which NASA commissioned in 2019 to carry out the mission.
Peregrine will take off from Florida, carrying 21 lunar payloads such as experiments, and touch down in a region of ancient basaltic lava flows.
The US last ventured to the lunar surface during the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972, which saw four astronauts trek across the barren landscape.
A six-foot-tall lander, Peregrine, is set to launch on Christmas Eve at 1:50am ET and arrive on January 25
John Thornton, Astrobotic CEO, said: ‘It’s incredible to realize that we are just a short time away from our Peregrine spacecraft beginning its journey to the moon.
‘After years of dedication and hard work, we are so close to having our moonshot.
‘We invite you to follow along as Peregrine, with seven countries represented aboard, launches to the moon and attempts one of the first successful landings of an American spacecraft since Apollo.’
Peregrine will launch aboard the inaugural flight of the new rocket, Vulcan Centaur, developed by aerospace manufacturer United Launch Alliance.
Thornton said that the probe will take ‘a few days’ to reach lunar orbit but will have to wait until January 25 before attempting landing so that light conditions at the target location are suitable.
The descent will be carried out autonomously, without human intervention, but monitored from the company’s control center.
The probe is about the size of an average man and capable of carrying up to 265 pounds of payload
The craft was designed by Pittsburg-based Astrobotic, a space robotics company, which NASA commissioned in 2019 to carry out the mission
Astrobiotic’s lunar lander stands on four shock-absorbing legs and attaches to the launch vehicle via a standard clamp.
‘The Peregrine Lander precisely and safely delivers payloads to lunar orbit and the lunar surface on each mission,’ reads the company’s official website.
‘Payloads can be mounted above or below the decks and remain attached or deployed according to their needs.’
Peregrine can hold up to 265 pounds of payloads released from the underside of the deck.
Astrobotic delivered its probe to Florida last month for launch preparations.
Sharad Bhaskaran, Astrobotic’s Peregrine Mission One director, said: ‘As we know, space is a difficult environment. We’re ready for launch after successfully completing a battery of industry-standard acceptance testing, so Peregrine has the best chance for mission success.
The probe will take ‘a few days’ to reach lunar orbit but will have to wait until January 25 before attempting landing so that light conditions at the target location are suitable
Astrobotic delivered its probe to Florida last month for launch preparations. It will be the first American-owned craft to land on the moon in more than 50 years
‘Peregrine and the team are ready.
‘After launch, we will separate from the Vulcan Centaur and establish power and communications with the spacecraft to guide it to the moon.
‘Then, we will attempt a historic autonomous landing on the lunar surface.’
While Peregrine will be the first US-owned probe to land on the moon since 1972, NASA is set to put American boots on the lunar surface in 2025.
The feat is part of the Artemis mission, which includes three phases.
The first launched on November 16, sending the Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket
Orion circled the moon and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near California on December 11.
Artemis II will be the mission’s first crewed flight and will also circle the moon – the flight is set for no earlier than November 2024.
