Vulcan Centaur Rocket Carries First Commercial Lander to the Moon
A newly launched rocket called Vulcan Centaur is carrying the first commercial lander, called Peregrine, to the moon. This is also the first lunar landing mission to launch from the United States since 1972. The spacecraft is expected to touch down on the moon's surface on February 23.
What's on Board
The Peregrine lander, developed by Astrobotic Technology under a contract with NASA, is carrying 20 payloads to the moon. Five of the payloads are NASA science instruments, while the other 15 come from various customers. The NASA instruments will help monitor the radiation environment and analyze the lunar soil. The mission also includes a robotics experiment from a UK-based company and trinkets from DHL. Additionally, Peregrine is carrying human remains on behalf of two commercial space burial companies, which has sparked opposition from Navajo Nation due to cultural and sacred reasons.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket also carries another payload from the space burial company Celestis, which includes 265 capsules of human remains and DNA samples from former US presidents and other individuals. This payload, known as the Enterprise Flight, will be sent to deep space to orbit the sun indefinitely.
The Excitement of the Launch
The launch of ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket is highly anticipated as it could be a game-changer for the launch industry, especially for ULA. The rocket is expected to replace ULA's Atlas and Delta rockets. Vulcan Centaur already has about 70 missions lined up. ULA has a successful launch record with no failed missions, and Vulcan Centaur builds on the success of ULA's previous rockets. One significant change in Vulcan Centaur is the use of US-made rocket engines instead of Russian ones, which became politically unpopular.
The development of Vulcan Centaur has faced delays, but ULA CEO Tory Bruno has described it as an orderly and well-executed program. The rocket's debut has been highly anticipated by the industry.
Successful Liftoff
The Vulcan Centaur rocket successfully took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After about an hour of flight, the Peregrine spacecraft separated from the rocket and began its journey to the moon. If everything goes as planned, the lander will touch down on the lunar surface on February 23. This mission marks a significant milestone in lunar exploration, as it is the first commercial lander to attempt a landing on the moon.
