The successful liftoff from Florida this Monday morning is of a brand new rocket carrying the first American device to attempt to land on the Moon in more than 50 years, this time developed by a private company.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket from the ULA industry group of Boeing and Lockheed Martin makes its maiden flight from Cape Canaveral.
The lander on board, called Peregrine, was developed by startup Astrobotic with support from NASA, which entrusted the company with transporting scientific equipment to the Moon – a contract worth $108 million.
The launch would mark the start of a series of missions backed by the US space agency, which wants to rely partly on the private sector for its lunar ambitions.
If Astrobotic manages to land on the moon as planned on February 23, it could become the first company to achieve such a feat. In recent years, Israeli and Japanese companies have attempted to land on the Moon, but these missions have ended in disaster.
“To lead America’s return to the lunar surface for the first time since Apollo is a tremendous honor,” Astrobotic chief John Thornton said at a press conference Friday. However, he said he was aware of the difficulty of the task and the risks of failure.
About 50 minutes after launch, Peregrine should separate from the rocket: Astrobotic will then turn on the device and attempt to establish communication. If all goes well, the lander will continue on its way to our natural satellite. Once in lunar orbit, the probe will wait until lighting conditions are right to attempt landing.
Controversy surrounding sending ashes
The target landing site is located on the visible side of the Moon, near mysterious lava domes that scientists are trying to explain. Thanks to the instruments sent, NASA must study the composition of the surface, as well as radiation.
The mission has also sparked controversy because it carries the ashes or DNA of dozens of people, including Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Partnership with Celestis, a company specializing in “memorable space flights.”
The sending of these ashes to the Moon angered the Navajo Indian tribe, which condemned the “desecration of a sacred site” without achieving, however, a delay in the launch.
Vulcan Centaur, in development for about 10 years, represents “the future of the company,” said Mark Peller, ULA group vice president.
The rocket (about 60 meters tall) should allow it to replace the Atlas V and Delta IV launch vehicles and compete with SpaceX with more affordable takeoffs.
ULA, which plans six Vulcan Centaur launches this year, subsequently wants to rebuild its engines after each flight for even greater profitability.
Source: Le Parisien
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