After Over Five Decades, the US Launches a New Lunar Lander Towards the Moon

On Monday, the United States launched its first lunar lander in over half a century, marking a significant step in the new space race involving private companies tasked with making deliveries for NASA and other entities.

Astrobotic Technology’s lunar lander was sent into space aboard United Launch Alliance’s newly developed Vulcan rocket. The launch from Florida set the spacecraft on a complex journey to the moon, aiming for a landing on February 23.

John Thornton, the CEO of Astrobotic, expressed his excitement about the mission, emphasizing the company’s goal to become the first private entity to successfully land on the moon. This achievement has so far only been reached by four countries. However, a competing company based in Houston is also close to launching its lunar lander and might reach the moon sooner with a more direct route.

The mission is part of NASA’s initiative to outsource lunar landings to private companies, allocating millions of dollars for the construction and operation of these landers. Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander, which has a $108 million contract with NASA, will help prepare for future astronaut missions by delivering NASA technology, scientific experiments, and various other payloads.

This event comes nearly 50 years after Apollo 17’s moon landing in December 1972, the last U.S.-led moon-landing mission. NASA’s Artemis program, named after Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology, aims to return astronauts to the moon, potentially starting with a lunar fly-around later this year.

The launch also served as the inaugural flight for the Vulcan rocket, a 202-foot (61-meter) rocket, essentially an advanced version of ULA’s Atlas V. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin provided the main engines for this new rocket.

With the successful separation of the lander from the rocket’s upper stage, ULA CEO Tory Bruno celebrated the achievement. The mission follows a history of moon landings by the Soviet Union and the U.S. in the 1960s and 70s, with China and India joining the exclusive club in recent years. However, there have also been unsuccessful attempts by Russia, a private Japanese company, and an Israeli nonprofit.

Next month, SpaceX will launch a lander for Intuitive Machines, potentially leading to close landing attempts between both spacecraft. Thornton described the upcoming lunar descent as a mix of excitement and anxiety.

Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander carries a diverse range of cargo, including a rock chip from Mount Everest, miniature Mexican cars, and the ashes and DNA of space enthusiasts like “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry and writer Arthur C. Clarke. Despite objections from the Navajo Nation regarding the inclusion of human remains, Thornton expressed regret for the late timing of the concerns and promised to consider their viewpoint for future missions.

Celestis, one of the companies that purchased space on the lander, defended the mission, stating that no single culture or religion has a claim over the moon. Additional remains are aboard the rocket’s upper stage, now orbiting the sun.

The cargo fees for Peregrine varied significantly, and although they were not sufficient for Astrobotic to break even on this initial flight, Thornton emphasized the mission’s symbolic significance and the fulfillment of many people’s dreams.