In a devastating series of updates earlier today, the Pittsburgh-based startup said a “failure within the propulsion system” is causing a critical loss of propellant.
“The team is working to try and stabilize this loss, but given the situation, we have prioritized maximizing the science and data we can capture,” the company said in an update posted to X.
Issues cropped up just hours after launch, when the company said that the lander, called Peregrine, was unable to orient itself to the sun and charge its batteries.
While Astrobotic engineers were eventually able to reorient the spacecraft’s solar array toward the sun and charge up the batteries, the company confirmed that a failure within the propulsion system was the root cause of the issue.
Astrobotic’s plan was to conduct a series of complex maneuvers to gradually lower the lander’s orbit, before finally attempting a soft landing on February 23 (which would also require fuel).
A deputy administrator from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Joel Kearns, said in a statement after launch that “each success and setback are opportunities to learn and grow.
The original article contains 445 words, the summary contains 181 words. Saved 59%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
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In a devastating series of updates earlier today, the Pittsburgh-based startup said a “failure within the propulsion system” is causing a critical loss of propellant.
“The team is working to try and stabilize this loss, but given the situation, we have prioritized maximizing the science and data we can capture,” the company said in an update posted to X.
Issues cropped up just hours after launch, when the company said that the lander, called Peregrine, was unable to orient itself to the sun and charge its batteries.
While Astrobotic engineers were eventually able to reorient the spacecraft’s solar array toward the sun and charge up the batteries, the company confirmed that a failure within the propulsion system was the root cause of the issue.
Astrobotic’s plan was to conduct a series of complex maneuvers to gradually lower the lander’s orbit, before finally attempting a soft landing on February 23 (which would also require fuel).
A deputy administrator from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Joel Kearns, said in a statement after launch that “each success and setback are opportunities to learn and grow.
The original article contains 445 words, the summary contains 181 words. Saved 59%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!