Peregrine-1 The First US Private Lunar Lander Launched After 51 Years

Utkarsh Classes Last Updated 09-01-2024

Peregrine-1 The First US Private Lunar Lander Launched After 51 Years

Space 4 min read

United Launch Alliance, a private company in America, launched the Moon mission Peregrine-1 on 8 January 2024. Peregrine-1 was launched towards the Moon from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Who created Peregrine-1?

Peregrine-1 has been made by America's Astrobotic company. It was launched from United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket.
According to NASA, Peregrine-1 will land on the mid-latitude region of the Moon on February 23, 2024. The spot on the Moon where Peregrine-1 will land is Sinus Viscositatis or “Bay of Stickiness.”

In 1972, America landed the first spacecraft on the moon:

If Peregrine-1 successfully lands on the lunar surface, it will be the first time in 51 years that an American aircraft will land on it.
If this mission is successful, it will also be the first soft landing on the Moon by a private company.
In 1972, Apollo-17 of the American space agency NASA made a soft landing.
Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of Apollo 17 were the 11th and 12th individuals to step onto the lunar surface.
After this, America sent the Artemis-1 mission to the moon in 2022. But that spacecraft did not land on the moon. Artemis-1 had orbited the moon.

The objective of Peregrine-1:

According to The Guardian, there are 15 payloads on Peregrine-1. Of these, 5 payloads belong to NASA.
With these, water molecules will be detected on the Moon.
Along with this, work will also be done to measure radiation and gases around the lander.
This will help us know what effect solar radiation has on the lunar surface.
As part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, the mission aims to unravel the mysteries of the Moon.

Human remains sent through Peregrine-1:

According to news agency AFP, Peregrine-1 is a scientific vessel. It sends a shoebox-sized rover, a physical Bitcoin.
Apart from this, the remains and DNA of personalities like Gene Roddenberry and Arthur C Clarke has been kept.
According to The Guardian, it also houses the Japan Lunar Dream Capsule. This capsule contains more than 1 lakh 85 thousand messages from children from all over the world.

NASA preparing for Artemis-2 mission launch:

NASA is going to launch the Artemis-2 mission in 2024.
Astronauts will be sent to the moon under the Artemis-2 mission. However, instead of landing on the Moon, they will also return after circling it.