Failed rocket that was supposed to land on the Moon is now hurtling back toward Earth
Gerrard Kaonga
Featured Image Credit: GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images / CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images
A rocket which was supposed to see the US return to the Moon for the first time in 50 years is now heading back to Earth after the mission failed.
Had things not gone wrong, the mission would have seen the first US object put on the moon since the 1970s Apollo program.
Peregrine One’s intention was to land on the moon and act as a scout for NASA for its upcoming moon landing missions in 2026.
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The plan was for the lander to conduct experiments on the lunar surface to answer questions about the moon’s composition and radiation.
It also aimed to create a 'permanent memorial' on the Moon, carrying the remains or DNA samples of 330 people, including hair samples of George Washington and John F. Kennedy.
Sadly, things didn't go to plan.
Private firm Astrobotic had launched the NASA-backed Peregrine One lander on January 8, but a fuel leak threw the mission into disarray and blew our chances of heading back to the Moon.
In an update on their X social media page on January 13, Astrobotic confirmed the machine is now hurtling towards Earth, and is scheduled to burn up in the atmosphere very soon.
“Our latest assessment now shows the spacecraft is on a path towards Earth, where it likely burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere,” the statement read.
“The propellant leak has slowed considerably to a point where it is no longer the teams’ top priority. A reminder that a soft landing on the Moon is not possible.”
In an updated message on January 14, the company explained the rocket was 234,000 miles away and the failed mission was expected to be concluded by Thursday January 18.
They also reiterated that they do not believe the falling lander poses any risk to people.
“We are working with NASA to continue updating and evaluating the controlled re-entry path of Peregrine. We do not believe Peregrine’s re-entry poses safety risks, and the spacecraft will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere,” the update on their website read.
“We are validating this through analyses in collaboration with the U.S. Government. We will continue to operate the spacecraft and provide status updates through the end of the mission."
The company's CEO also issued a statement indication that overall failure should not detract from the successes the teams have achieved.
Astrobotic CEO John Thornton said: “I am so proud of what our team has accomplished with this mission.
"It is a great honor to witness firsthand the heroic efforts of our mission control team overcoming enormous challenges to recover and operate the spacecraft after Monday’s propulsion anomaly.
“I look forward to sharing these, and more remarkable stories, after the mission concludes on January 18.
"This mission has already taught us so much and has given me great confidence that our next mission to the Moon will achieve a soft landing.”