Hours after the launch of its commercial moon lander, Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic reported a failure within the robotic spacecraft’s propulsion system that could rule out a soft landing.
“Unfortunately, it appears the failure within the propulsion system is causing a critical loss of propellant,” Astrobotic said today in a mission update.posted to X / Twitter. “The team is working to try and stabilize this loss, but given the situation, we have prioritized maximizing the science and data we can capture. We are currently assessing what alternative mission profiles may be feasible at this time.”
Another X / Twitter posting featured the first in-space image captured by a camera mounted atop Peregrine’s payload deck. The image showed irregularities in the spacecraft’s protective multi-layer insulation, or MLI. “The disturbance of the MLI is the first visual clue that aligns with our telemetry data that points to a propulsion system anomaly,” Astrobotic said.
In an earlier update, Astrobotic said the propulsion problem could threaten the “ability to soft land on the moon.” NASA is paying Astrobotic $108 million to have its Peregrine spacecraft carry a suite of science instruments to the lunar surface, and more than a dozen other payloads are going along for the ride.
The setback followed a seemingly picture-perfect launch of the 8-foot-wide lander from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida overnight. It was the first liftoff for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket — and the first launch for Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engines, which Jeff Bezos’ space venture provided for the first-stage booster.
ULA CEO Tory Bruno offered his company’s assistance with the post-launch anomaly. “Our team is at your disposal, if we can help in any way,” he wrote in a reply to Astrobotic’s posting.
The issue with the lander first came to light when Astrobotic’s mission team determined that the spacecraft’s solar panels were not pointing toward the sun, resulting in a drain on Peregrine’s battery. The team came up with an improvised maneuver to reorient the solar panels — and the battery was recharged. But in the process of investigating the anomaly, they traced the underlying cause to the propulsion system.
In one of its updates, Astrobotic said it was grateful for the support it was receiving via social media, phone calls and other channels. “This is what makes the space industry so special,” the company said, “that we unite in the face of adversity.”
