There is a liftoff. The first U.S. lunar lander in more than half a century left Earth early Monday, setting a course for the moon.
Doing so would begin a new space race among private companies eager to make deliveries to celestial bodies for NASA and other customers.
AP report Astrobotic Technology's unmanned Peregrine lander took to the skies aboard its newest rocket, United Launch Alliance's Vulcan.
Peregrine is carrying five science payloads to the moon's surface for NASA, as well as 15 other science payloads from countries including Hungary, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
The Vulcan and its cargo departed Cape Canaveral at 07:18 GMT (02:18 EST).
United Launch Alliance (ULA)'s brand new rocket, Vulcan Centaur, launched from Space Launch Complex 41d at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 8, 2024, with an astrobotic The company's Peregrine lunar module will head on its maiden voyage. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty)
United Launch Alliance (ULA)'s Vulcan Centaur will blast off into space on its maiden voyage on January 8, 2024, carrying Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar module. The mission, called Cert-1, will also bring on board the bodies of several people associated with the original Star Trek series, including creator Gene Roddenberry and cast member Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura. Roddenberry's ashes have been launched into orbit before. (Greg Newton/AFP via Getty)
Cruising the predawn skies over Florida, the spacecraft will take a circuitous route to the moon that should culminate in its first landing attempt on February 23.
“So, we're very, very excited. We're heading to the moon!” said a clearly delighted Astrobotic CEO John Thornton.
The Pittsburgh company aims to become the first private company to successfully land on the moon, a feat only four countries have achieved.
India made history on Wednesday when its first lunar mission landed on the moon's south pole region. https://t.co/2DLC4WuOuB
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 24, 2023
But as Breitbart News reported, a Houston company also has a lander ready to fly, potentially taking a more direct route to the moon's surface.
“First is the launch. Whether it will land first is up in the air,” Thornton cautioned.
Peregrine is the first of eight missions planned under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services Initiative.
NASA hopes private sector sponsorship will reduce the cost of future missions.
The last time the United States launched a moon landing mission was in December 1972.
Peregrine is a small-sized lunar lander. It is conducting one of the first commercial missions to the moon and is scheduled to be one of the first US spacecraft to land on the moon since the Apollo program. (Astro robot technology)
Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmidt became the 11th and 12th men to walk on the moon, ending an era at the top of NASA's orbit, the Associated Press report said.
The Native American Navajo Nation made a last-ditch effort to cancel Monday's flight, arguing that such a commercial mission would be tantamount to desecrating a month sacred to many indigenous cultures. financial times report.
Navajo Nation President Boo Nygren said: statement Plans to hand over the cremated remains and DNA of 66 people aboard the Peregrine lunar module would destroy what the Navajo Nation considers a sacred site, it was announced Friday.
