US returns to Moon with Peregrine lander and Vulcan rocket

The Vulcan rocket, a product of the joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has just launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The rocket carries the Peregrine lunar lander, built by space robotics firm Astrobotic. The lander is equipped with scientific payloads that aim to gather data about the lunar surface.

The Vulcan rocket, a 200-foot tall structure, is powered by engines made by Blue Origin, a company owned by Jeff Bezos. The launch signifies a shift in lunar exploration as the United States turns to the commercial sector under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.

If successful, the Peregrine lunar lander will be the first American soft landing on the moon since the last Apollo landing in 1972. It will also be the first lunar landing by a private company. The ULA has spent roughly a decade developing the Vulcan rocket to replace the Atlas V rocket and compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 in the satellite launch market.

Astrobotic, the builder of the Peregrine lunar lander, has been contracted by the space agency for over $100 million. Another company, Houston-based Intuitive Machines, is scheduled to launch in February and land near the moon’s south pole.

Here is a link to the live stream of the Vulcan rocket launch: nasa.gov.

The Omega Speedmaster Professional, known as the “Moonwatch”, is associated with NASA’s space missions. It is currently available on Amazon for $4,950.