Voice 9, Science Desk: The "Peregrine," the first American lunar spacecraft, will have to touch down on the moon since the final Apollo mission in 1972. This mission is also significant as it marks the first time a private US aerospace company has taken the lead in a lunar expedition.
In the early hours of Monday morning, the "Vulcan" rocket,
developed by Boeing and Lockheed Martin's "United Launch Alliance"
(ULA), successfully launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in
Florida. On board the rocket is Astrobotic Technology's lunar lander,
"Peregrine." Astrobotic Technology, a private space robotics firm
based in Pittsburgh, aims to achieve a historic milestone by becoming the first
private company to land a spacecraft on the moon.
The launch of Vulcan was met with great enthusiasm, as Eric Monda, a ULA
mission official, expressed his satisfaction with the flawless launch from the
company's control room. During the initial phase of the journey, ULA confirmed
that the flight remained stable as the rocket orbited around the Earth.
As the rocket reached the halfway point of its coast period, the Centaur
systems continued to operate smoothly while in Earth orbit. The next phase of
the mission involves a precise engine firing above the Indian Ocean to propel
the rocket into a trans-lunar injection orbit for the Moon-bound Peregrine
lander.
This mission represents a significant step forward in lunar exploration,
showcasing the capabilities of private US aerospace companies in advancing
space exploration.
