# Peregrine Mission One > former commercial lunar landing mission **Wikidata**: [Q111708523](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q111708523) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrine_Mission_One) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/peregrine-mission-one ## Summary Peregrine Mission One was a commercial lunar landing mission developed by Astrobotic Technology, launched on January 8, 2024, as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Intended to be the first American spacecraft to land on the Moon since the Apollo program, the mission was thwarted by a critical fuel leak shortly after launch. Unable to reach the lunar surface, the lander was guided to a controlled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean on January 18, 2024. ## Key Facts * **Mission Type:** Commercial lunar lander (Instance of: Peregrine Lander) and former entity. * **Operator & Manufacturer:** Astrobotic Technology. * **Launch Date:** January 8, 2024, at 07:18:38 UTC. * **Launch Vehicle:** Vulcan (V-001), flown in the VC2S configuration. * **Launch Site:** Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41. * **Mass:** 1,283 kg (launch weight). * **Identifiers:** COSPAR ID 2024-006A; NSSDCA ID PEREGRN-1. * **Intended Destination:** Sinus Viscositatis (Bay of Stickiness). * **Mission End:** Atmospheric entry occurred on January 18, 2024, at 21:04 UTC over the South Pacific Ocean. ## FAQs ### Q: Why did Peregrine Mission One fail? A: The mission failed due to a propellant leak involving mixed oxides of nitrogen that began shortly after launch on January 8, 2024. This loss of fuel made it impossible for the spacecraft to perform the maneuvers required to reach and land on the Moon. ### Q: What happened to the Peregrine lander after the failure? A: After determining that a soft landing on the Moon was impossible, mission operators managed the spacecraft's trajectory to ensure a controlled destructive re-entry. The lander burned up in Earth's atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean on January 18, 2024. ### Q: What rocket launched Peregrine Mission One? A: The mission was launched aboard a Vulcan rocket (flight V-001), manufactured by United Launch Alliance. This marked the first certification flight of the Vulcan launch vehicle. ### Q: What scientific payloads were on board? A: The lander carried various payloads as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, including the Colmena project. The mission aimed to deliver these instruments to the lunar surface for scientific analysis. ## Why It Matters Peregrine Mission One represents a pivotal moment in the commercialization of space exploration, serving as a key component of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) strategy. By contracting private companies like Astrobotic Technology to deliver payloads, NASA aims to reduce costs and accelerate lunar exploration. Although the mission did not achieve its primary goal of landing on the Moon, it served as the maiden flight for the Vulcan rocket, a critical launch vehicle for United States space infrastructure. The incident highlighted the inherent risks of spaceflight and provided valuable data for future commercial lunar endeavors. The mission's rapid timeline—from launch to controlled re-entry in just 10 days—demonstrated the ability of commercial operators to manage anomalies and safely dispose of failing spacecraft. ## Notable For * **First Vulcan Flight:** It was the payload for the maiden voyage (V-001) of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket. * **CLPS Delivery:** It was a flagship mission for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. * **Propulsion Anomaly:** The mission is defined by the "fuel leak" of mixed oxides of nitrogen that prevented lunar insertion. * **Controlled Demise:** The mission concluded with a managed atmospheric entry and loss of signal over the South Pacific Ocean. ## Body ### Mission Profile and Launch Peregrine Mission One launched from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41 on January 8, 2024, atop a Vulcan VC2S rocket. The spacecraft had a launch mass of 1,283 kilograms. The intended destination was Sinus Viscositatis, a region on the Moon. The mission was designed to carry the Colmena project and other scientific instruments under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. ### Technical Specifications The spacecraft was a Peregrine Lander class vehicle manufactured by Astrobotic Technology. Its power system relied on solar cell panels capable of generating 480 watts. The propulsion system utilized five TALOS-150 engines. ### Mission Anomaly and Conclusion Shortly after launch, the mission encountered a significant event: a fuel leak involving mixed oxides of nitrogen. This anomaly prevented the lander from orienting itself correctly for a lunar trajectory. * **January 8, 2024:** The rocket launch occurred successfully, but the fuel leak was identified shortly after spacecraft separation. * **January 18, 2024:** After days of extended operations to maximize scientific data collection, the mission was concluded. Loss of signal occurred at 20:50 UTC, followed by atmospheric entry at 21:04 UTC. * **Final Location:** The spacecraft disintegrated over the South Pacific Ocean at coordinates 23.087° S, 176.594° W. ## References 1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/peregrine.htm) 2. Jonathan's Space Report 3. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=PEREGRN-1) 4. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=PEREGRN-1) 5. [Source](https://www.astrobotic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/PM1_Post-Mission-Report_2024.pdf) 6. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/18/science/moon-lander-peregrine-nasa.html) 7. [Source](https://twitter.com/coastal8049/status/1748110795249172513) 8. [Source](https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/01/19/astrobotics-peregrine-lunar-lander-ends-mission-in-fiery-reentry/) 9. [Source](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/08/science/nasa-moon-lander-malfunction-peregrine.html) 10. [Source](https://www.astrobotic.com/update-17-for-peregrine-mission-one/)