The first American commercial lander to attempt a mission to the Moon will come barreling back to Earth on Thursday, burning up over a remote area in the Pacific Ocean.
Astrobotic’s Peregrine Moon lander launched on Jan. 8 on a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket from Florida. The lunar robot was carrying five NASA science payloads as part of the space agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and more than a dozen other items from customers around the world.
However, the lander and its science payloads will not land near the Moon’s South Pole as planned after the craft’s propulsion system was damaged in space, meaning the lander would not have enough fuel for a lunar landing. Astrobotic worked with NASA and other U.S. government agencies to determine how to end the star-crossed lunar mission safely and determined allowing the spacecraft to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere was the best option.
Peregrine completed a two-step maneuver on Wednesday to line up its mission-ending trajectory. Astrobotic said Peregrine fired its main engines in 23 short burns. The engineering team then adjusted the spacecraft’s attitude to set it up for a path over the South Pacific Ocean.
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“The procedures the team executed were to minimize the risk of debris reaching land,” the company said. “Astrobotic continues to work closely with NASA and other relevant government authorities to keep everyone informed and to solicit feedback as appropriate.”
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Peregrine is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere around 4 p.m. ET Thursday over the South Pacific with a trajectory south of the islands of Fiji. Most of the spacecraft will burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.
When the mission ends, Peregrine will have operated in space for more than 10 days. This marked the first spaceflight for Pittsburgh-based Astobotic. The company is working on a second mission set to launch in late 2024, carrying NASA’s VIPER rover to the lunar South Pole.