Over half a century after the last U.S. lunar landing, a monumental space endeavor was launched on Monday as a private American lander embarked on a journey to the moon. This pioneering mission, spearheaded by Astrobotic Technology, marks a significant moment in the private sector’s involvement in space exploration and lunar deliveries.
The lander was launched aboard United Launch Alliance’s new Vulcan rocket, which illuminated the Florida sky before dawn. The spacecraft is set on an indirect trajectory to the moon, with a landing attempt scheduled for February 23. John Thornton, CEO of the Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic, expressed immense excitement about the mission, emphasizing the company’s ambition to become the first private entity to land on the lunar surface.
While Astrobotic has taken the lead in this lunar race, a rival company from Houston is also in contention, potentially reaching the moon earlier with a more direct route. Thornton acknowledged this competition, noting that while they were first to launch, the title of first to land remains undecided.
The initiative is part of NASA’s broader plan to engage private companies in lunar exploration. Both Astrobotic and its competitor have received substantial funding from NASA to build and deploy their lunar landers. These missions aim to lay the groundwork for future astronaut missions while delivering NASA technology, scientific experiments, and various items for other clients. Astrobotic’s contract for their Peregrine lander is valued at $108 million.
The United States last embarked on a moon-landing mission in December 1972 with Apollo 17, a historic endeavor that has since been a benchmark for NASA. Now, under the Artemis program, named after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology, NASA aims to return astronauts to the moon’s surface within a few years, starting with a lunar fly-around mission possibly later this year.
The Vulcan rocket, 202 feet (61 meters) tall, represents an advancement from United Launch Alliance’s successful Atlas V rocket. Its engines, supplied by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, propelled the lander into space. ULA’s CEO, Tory Bruno, declared the mission a success shortly after the lander separated from the rocket’s upper stage.
Historically, the Soviet Union and the U.S. achieved numerous successful moon landings in the 1960s and 70s, followed by China and India in more recent years. However, there have also been setbacks, with failed moon landing attempts by Russia, a private Japanese company, and an Israeli nonprofit.
SpaceX is set to launch another competitor next month, Intuitive Machines, whose Nova-C lander will take a faster, more direct route to the moon, potentially resulting in a close landing timeline with Astrobotic’s lander.
The descent to the lunar surface, described by Thornton as a mix of excitement and anxiety, will be the mission’s most critical phase. Astrobotic’s lander carries a diverse cargo, including a piece of Mount Everest rock, miniature cars from Mexico, and the remains and DNA of deceased space enthusiasts, such as “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and author Arthur C. Clarke.
Controversy arose with the Navajo Nation’s request to delay the launch due to the inclusion of human remains, which they view as a desecration of a celestial body revered in their culture. Thornton responded that the objections came too late to alter the mission but pledged to seek a resolution for future projects.
Cargo fares on the Peregrine lander varied significantly, not covering the mission’s total costs. However, Thornton emphasized that profit is not the primary objective for this inaugural flight, as it carries the hopes and dreams of many individuals.
