Failed To Land On The Moon, Peregrine Will Burn In Earth's Atmosphere

Peregrine will return to Earth and burn (photo: dock. NASA)

JAKARTA The Peregrine spacecraft, part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Initiative, was supposed to land on the Moon, but a propellant leak blocked the landing.

Initially, Astrobotic, the maker of Peregrine, was still trying to land their planes on the Moon. Although leaks block Peregrine's performance, the Astrobotic engineering team continues to improve the propulsion system and stabilize the aircraft's performance.

However, after discussing with the space community, the United States government, as well as the United States Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA), Peregrine decided not to extend the age of Peregrine. Their focus has changed.

"We have to balance our desire to extend Peregrine's life, operate payloads, and learn more about spacecraft," Astrobotic said in an official statement some time ago.

If the company continues to maintain Peregrine in space, the aircraft could carry issues with a room in lunar orbit. After considering the issue, Astrobotic decided to end Peregrine's mission.

Astrobotic will not change the Peregrine track so that the aircraft can re-enter the earth's atmosphere. When that happens, the Peregrine will catch fire because the lander will swipe with the air particles.

"By ending the Peregrine mission responsibly, we are doing our part to preserve the future of the spatial heritage for all parties," Astrobotic explained. This decision is supported by NASA, the owner of the CLPS initiative.

Administrator of the Association of NASA's Science Mission Directorate Nicola Fox said that the action taken by Astrobotic was very appropriate. According to him, letting Peregrine burn was the best approach to completing the mission.

"We commend Astrobotic for its perseverance and make every effort to collect data and demonstrate Peregrine's ability while on the flight. Together, we will use learning to advance CLPS," Fox said.

Currently, Peregrine is heading to Earth. According to estimates by NASA and Astrobotic, Peregrine will enter Earth's atmosphere on Thursday, January 18. This lander will burn and become debris when it reaches the earth's surface.