For the first time since Apollo, NASA is sending a lander to the moon. And they already have a critical problem.

Sources:

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-science-heads-to-moon-on-first-us-private-robotic-artemis-flight/

https://www.space.com/private-astrobotic-peregrine-moon-lander-suffers-anomaly

https://www.space.com/astrobotic-peregrine-moon-lander-propulsion-failure

https://www.space.com/astrobotic-peregrine-moon-lander-first-photo-anomaly-clue

This is what you need to know:

- Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, launched on ULA's Vulcan rocket, carries NASA instruments for the first US private robotic mission to the Moon.

- The Peregrine lander is set to land on the Moon on Feb 23, conducting a 10-day mission to gather crucial scientific data for future lunar exploration, including Artemis missions.

- The first photo taken by Peregrine in space revealed disturbances in the Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI), aligning with telemetry data pointing to the propulsion system anomaly.

- The anomaly, identified as a failure in the propulsion system causing a critical loss of propellant, disrupted the spacecraft's sun-pointing orientation.

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