Space missions regularly test multiple new technologies in one go. It’s very common to have a single mission test out three or more new technologies, making them “flight-proven.” Unfortunately, that sometimes means that though one particular new technology, or even many of them, might succeed, one technology could work. At the same time, another one could fail, and that single failure might mean that several other technologies might never even get a chance for their day in the Sun. That seems to have happened with NASA’s first Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) mission. While the Vulcan rocket, developed by the United Launch Alliance (ULA), lifted off successfully, the Peregrine lander, developed by Astrobotic, seems to have run into an error that jeopardizes the rest of the mission.
Space News & Blog Articles
Private Peregrine moon lander suffers 'critical' fuel loss after launch, mission at risk
Astrobotic's Peregrine lander suffered a problem with its propulsion system today (Jan. 8) that will apparently prevent it from journeying to the moon.
Peregrine lander suffers propulsion ‘anomaly,’ Moon landing seemingly unlikely
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander in the clean room at Astrotech in Titusville, Florida. The spacecraft was the main payload onboard the first launch of ULA’s Vulcan rocket. Image: ULA
In situation seemly pulled from a science fiction movie, a robotic mission to the Moon swung from the brink of failure to having renewed hope before the pendulum swung back again with a successful lunar landing for Astrobotic’s Peregrine spacecraft now unlikely.
What does space smell like?
From carbon molecules and ozone on spacesuits to the nauseating odor of comets and the sweet tang of gas clouds, the universe is a natural laboratory for aromatic chemistry.
Private Peregrine lander launches to the moon: What science could it do?
Astrobotic's Peregrine moon lander launched today (Jan. 8) with five NASA science payloads aboard. Here's what the experiments are designed to do.
Private Peregrine moon lander suffers anomaly after historic Vulcan rocket launch, Astrobotic says
Astrobotic's private Peregrine moon lander has suffered an anomaly in space after separating from its Vulcan Centaur rocket early Monday, Jan. 8. The fate of the mission is unclear.
Odd Radio Circles: The Remnants of Furious Galactic Winds
New evidence suggests extreme starbursts and furious galactic winds are at the heart of odd radio circles (ORCs).
Peregrine Mission Launches for (But Not To) the Moon
The first launch of the United Launch Alliance Vulcan-Centaur rocket attempted to send Peregrine Mission One moonward, but a propulsion problem has likely stymied that goal.
Turbulent 1st moments of a black hole's life captured in new simulations
Scientists modeled how black holes and neutron stars form after dying stars collapse, and explained why some get a hard 'kick' into interstellar space.
ESA wows visitors with state-of-the-art exhibition in Paris HQ
Visitors to ESA’s cutting-edge visitor centre are being captivated by virtual reality trips to the International Space Station, interactions with a globe showing Earth from space, and displays of astronaut suits, launchers and ESA memorabilia – before getting the chance to buy a souvenir from the ESA space shop.
See the moon meet up with Mercury, Venus and Mars in the early morning sky on Jan. 9
In the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday, Jan. 9, Mercury, Venus and Mars will appear alongside a thin crescent moon in the morning sky.
DHL delivering Everest rock, 'meme' coin to the moon on Astrobotic lander
A rock from Mount Everest, a time capsule from Belgium, a physical 'meme' coin and a letter from a private astronaut are now being delivered to the moon's surface by DHL.
Floating 'magic islands' on Saturn's moon Titan may be honeycomb-shaped snow
On Saturn's largest moon, Titan, snows of organic compounds may form glacier-like honeycomb chunks in methane lakes, appearing as floating "magic islands."
ULA's 1st Vulcan Centaur rocket launch looks spectacular in these photos and videos
Relive ULA's Vulcan Centaur debut with these awesome photos. The mission sent the private Peregrine moon lander toward Earth's nearest neighbor.
Europe's Proba-3 mission will create an 'artificial eclipse' to the study sun's corona
Europe will launch two satellites in September which will together form an artificial eclipse to help scientists study the sun.
ULA marks success with the inaugural mission of its Vulcan rocket launching a Moon-bound robotic lander
The inaugural Vulcan rocket leaps off the pad at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The booster was powered by the first pair of BE-4 engines to fly in space. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now
With the company’s future riding on it, United Launch Alliance’s first Vulcan rocket successfully put a commercial robotic lander on course for the Moon after lifting off from Cape Canaveral’s pad 41 at 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 UTC).
ULA's Vulcan rocket launches private US moon lander, 1st since Apollo, and human remains in debut flight
ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket launched on its first-ever mission this morning (Jan. 8), sending the private Peregrine lander toward the moon.
Live coverage: Watch as the first Vulcan rocket launches commercial moon lander from Cape Canaveral
Watch live coverage as the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket will launches on its inaugural flight with the Peregrine commercial robotic lunar lander for Astrobotic. Peregrine will carry multiple experiments, scientific instruments, and tech demo payloads for NASA and other customers.
Uranus and Neptune are Actually Pretty Much the Same Color
In the late 1980s, the Voyager 2 spacecraft snapped the “canonical” up-close images of Uranus and Neptune. In those views, Uranus was a pretty greenish-blue and Neptune appeared a deep azure color. It turns out that both planets are pretty close in color: a greenish-blue more akin to Uranus’s appearance.
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral with Starlink satellites
The Falcon 9 rocket goes upright at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Photo: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now.
The next batch of 23 Starlink satellites for SpaceX’s space-based internet service are scheduled to ride a Falcon 9 rocket into orbit Sunday from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff is now targeted for 5:35 p.m. EST (2235 UTC).
SpaceX launching 23 Starlink satellites from Florida today
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to lift off at 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT) today (Jan. 7), sending 23 Starlink satellites to orbit.
