Astrobotic, the manufacturer behind the US Peregrine lunar lander, reported that the mission to reach the Moon ended in failure due to a malfunction. Telemetry data from the spacecraft disappeared at approximately 3:50 pm Eastern time, according to the company’s updates on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter.
The vehicle reentered Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean at 4:04 pm ET. The company is currently awaiting government authorization for the final steps of the mission. Peregrine launched aboard a Vulcan rocket on January 8, with an intended lunar landing date of February 23 carrying NASA scientific instruments and other cargo.
Unfortunately, propulsion system problems and a fuel leak prompted the decision to terminate the mission. A controlled end of the flight was conducted by guiding the probe into the upper atmosphere rather than attempting a landing on the Moon.
Peregrine was developed as part of NASA’s Artemis program, which seeks to return U.S. astronauts to the Moon with support from private contractors. The contract for Peregrine was valued at $108 million, reflecting a broader push toward commercial lunar delivery services.
In the wider context of lunar ambitions, nations around the world have announced plans to explore the Moon further. Notably, Japan has talked about advancing a lunar module, while Russia has outlined goals for future Moon missions. These international efforts illustrate a growing pace of activity in lunar exploration as private and public entities collaborate on next-generation spaceflight missions.
Industry observers emphasize how Peregrine’s challenges underscore the technical hurdles of lunar delivery, including fuel management, propulsion reliability, and robust telemetry. The results offer a real-time study in mission risk, informing both future design iterations and the standards regulators may apply to commercial lunar infrastructure and instrument delivery services.