In a remarkable partnership, NASA has awarded a contract worth $108 million to a start-up for the transportation of five scientific instruments to the moon, signaling a groundbreaking era of commercial missions to the lunar surface. The mission, named Peregrine Mission One, represents the first US spacecraft with the intent of landing on the moon since the iconic Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
Scheduled to launch on Monday, 8 January 2024, the Peregrine Mission One is poised to make history as the foremost commercial landing mission to the moon. Propelled by the private spaceflight mission, the Peregrine Mission One will carry a diverse array of scientific payloads from NASA and other international institutions, as well as cultural artifacts. The mission will take off from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 2:18 EST (07:18 GMT), marking a significant step towards the expansion of commercial spaceflight.
One of the most notable inclusions on board the Peregrine Mission One is an instrument known as the Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS), a piece of technology developed by UK scientists. The PITMS was jointly developed by scientists from The Open University (OU), the Science Technology Facilities Council (STFC) RAL Space, which is the UK’s national space lab, and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre in Washington DC. This instrument is a significant testament to international collaboration and technological advancement in space exploration.
Moreover, the mission is expected to orbit the moon for several weeks once it arrives, with the ultimate goal of landing on 23 February, pending the successful verification of all systems. This ambitious endeavor promises to unveil a wealth of knowledge about the moon and contribute to the advancement of research in lunar science.
The Peregrine Mission One not only marks a significant milestone for commercial space missions but also signifies a renewed interest and investment in lunar exploration. The collaboration between NASA and private space companies is paving the way for a new era of space exploration, where partnerships and innovations are driving monumental leaps in scientific discovery and technology development.
In summary, the Peregrine Mission One is poised to redefine the landscape of lunar exploration, marking an exciting step forward in the quest to unlock the mysteries of the moon and beyond.
