Private U.S. Moon mission in jeopardy

A private moon mission attempting to make the first U.S. lunar soft landing in half a century is in jeopardy after a failure in the propulsion system resulted in a “critical loss” of fuel


VULCAN CENTAUR: New rocket developed by United Launch Alliance – successfully lifted lunar lander on Jan 8

Height: 61.6m 
Diameter: 5.4m 
Mass: 546,700kg


Peregrine lander built by Astrobotic Technology

Centaur second stage

RL10 engines
Fuel: Liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen

Two solid rocket boosters

BE-4 engines
Fuel: Liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen

Booster


Intended touchdown:
Lava plain on near side of Moon

Mare Imbrium

Apollo 11


Fuel leak from Peregrine, just hours after separation from rocket, preventing lander from achieving stable position pointing towards Sun


PEREGRINE LUNAR LANDER Carries five NASA instruments to study Moon’s surface environment ahead of human missions later this decade

Propellant tank 
Solar panel 
Thrusters 
Antenna
Engines
1.9m


Sources: NASA, Astrobotic Technology, ULA
Pictures: NASA, Astrobotic
© GRAPHIC NEWS