US Company's Moon Landing Bid Jeopardized by Critical Fuel Leak: A Deteriorating Lunar Quest

By J. Alex - Jan 9, 2024

In Cape Canaveral, Florida, a recent attempt at the first U.S. moon landing in over 50 years faced dire prospects as a private company's spacecraft encountered a critical fuel leak shortly after Monday's launch.

Astrobotic Technology, based in Pittsburgh, swiftly pivoted its lander toward the sun to enable the solar panel's battery charging while a specialized team assessed the "critical" issue within the propulsion system. Unfortunately, a significant loss of fuel became evident, significantly diminishing the prospects for the scheduled moon landing on February 23rd.

The propulsion system malfunction posed a serious threat to the spacecraft's ability to softly land on the lunar surface, as the lander relied on engines and thrusters for maneuvering during both the journey to the moon and the descent onto its surface.

Photo byNASAonUnsplash

Releasing a photo captured by a lander-mounted camera, Astrobotic pointed out a disturbance in a section of thermal insulation, corresponding to the identified problem.

Astrobotic aimed to be the pioneering private entity to achieve a successful moon landing, a feat only four countries have accomplished thus far. Another Houston-based lander is set to launch next month, supported by NASA funding provided to both companies for constructing and executing lunar lander missions.

These privately owned landers are intended to scout the lunar surface ahead of astronaut arrivals while delivering technology, scientific experiments for various entities including the space agency, other nations, universities, and miscellaneous cargo. Astrobotic's contract for the Peregrine lander with NASA amounted to $108 million, with more missions planned.

Before the flight, NASA's Joel Kearns highlighted the cost-effectiveness and swiftness of using private companies for lunar deliveries but acknowledged the associated risks. He emphasized NASA's readiness to embrace these risks, considering each success or setback as an opportunity for learning and growth.

The last U.S. moon-landing mission occurred in December 1972, marking the conclusion of the Apollo 17 mission and NASA's significant lunar exploration endeavors.

The Artemis program, NASA's new initiative aiming to return astronauts to the moon's surface within the coming years, plans a preliminary lunar fly-around with four astronauts, potentially by the end of the year.

The recent moonshot featured the inaugural test flight of the Vulcan rocket, a long-delayed event. The rocket, an upgraded version of the successful Atlas V by ULA, obtained its two main engines from Jeff Bezos' rocket company, Blue Origin.

Lunar landings have a history of successes and failures, with the Soviet Union and the U.S. achieving multiple successful landings in the 1960s and 70s. China joined the achievement in 2013, followed by India in 2023. However, there have been recent setbacks, with landers from Russia and a private Japanese company crashing on the moon. Next month, SpaceX is set to lift off a lander from Intuitive Machines, which follows a more direct route to the moon.

Astrobotic, in addition to flying experiments for NASA, packed various items aboard the Peregrine lander, including a chip of rock from Mount Everest, miniature cars from Mexico, and the ashes and DNA of deceased space enthusiasts like Gene Roddenberry and Arthur C. Clarke.

While objections from the Navajo Nation sought to delay the launch due to the human remains aboard, Astrobotic's CEO, John Thornton, promised efforts to find a mutually agreeable path forward with the Navajo for future missions.

Despite the cargo fares ranging from a few hundred dollars to $1.2 million per kilogram, insufficient to break even for Astrobotic, Thornton emphasized the profound significance of the mission, reflecting the dreams and aspirations of many involved.

[Credit]AP

[Credit]CNN