Successful Launch of Vulcan’s Peregrine Lunar Lander on Its First Expedition

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has achieved a major milestone in returning the United States to the Moon with the successful launch of Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander using its brand-new Vulcan Centaur rocket. This launch, known as Cert-1, marks the first-ever mission for the Vulcan Centaur rocket.

The launch took place on January 8, 2024, at 2:18 AM EST from Space Launch Complex (SLC) 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Vulcan Centaur rocket had originally been scheduled to fly in December 2023, but routine problems with the ground equipment caused a delay. Tory Bruno, the CEO of ULA, stated that he wanted a full rehearsal before the first flight, so the launch was rescheduled to January 8, 2024.

Vulcan Centaur is a two-stage rocket that uses liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen as propellant. The first stage is powered by two BE-4 engines developed by Blue Origin, which will be making its first in-flight mission. The second stage, known as Centaur V, uses two RL-10 engines manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The rocket is 61.6 meters tall and has a diameter of 5.4 meters. Fully loaded, it weighs 663,367 kilograms and produces 8.9 meganewtons of thrust at liftoff.

The Cert-1 mission also marked the first use of the Vulcan Centaur rocket’s VC2S variant, which includes two solid rocket boosters (SRB) and a standard fairing. This configuration enables the rocket to deliver Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander to the lunar surface and allows for deep space missions such as the Enterprise Flight.

The flight profile of the Cert-1 mission involved several key stages. After loading the propellant onto the Vulcan Centaur rocket, the BE-4 engines ignited just before liftoff. The rocket began its ascent, reaching Mach one at T+1 minute and nine seconds. It then experienced max-Q, the maximum aerodynamic stress, before the GEM 63XL SRBs separated from the vehicle.

At T+4:59, the first stage was separated from the second stage. Centaur V ignited its RL-10 engines at T+5:15, and the fairings were jettisoned at T+5:23, revealing the payloads. Centaur then continued its burn for over 10 minutes. At T+15:45, Vulcan entered a coast phase, during which it traveled until T+43 minutes and 35 seconds when the RL-10s relit for course correction to a Trans-lunar Injection (TLI).

After a shutdown and coast phase, the Peregrine lunar lander was placed in a highly elliptical orbit. It was then released to intercept the Moon. At T+1 hour 18 minutes and 24 seconds, Centaur V relit one final time for 20 seconds to place Celestis Memorial Spaceflight’s ‘Enterprise Flight’ payload into a heliocentric orbit. The official mission end was anticipated at T+4:24:44.

The Enterprise Flight payload is part of Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, which offer the opportunity to send DNA or cremated remains to deep space. This unique service allows friends and family to send their late loved ones on a final journey into space. Celestis Memorial Spaceflights have been operating since 1997 and have flown on various launch vehicles.

Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander is a pivotal part of the Cert-1 mission. It was developed under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, with Astrobotic receiving a $79.5 million contract from NASA. Peregrine carries a total of 20 payloads, including five from NASA’s CLPS program. These payloads aim to study the Moon’s water ice, radiation environment, lunar exosphere, and magnetic fields. Some payloads also include art and historical artifacts.

After separation from Centaur, Peregrine successfully received signals from Astrobotic’s mission control center and performed small adjustment maneuvers in Earth’s orbit. However, an anomaly occurred during the maneuver to aim its solar panels toward the sun for recharging its lithium-ion battery. Although the anomaly was corrected, a failure in the propulsion system resulted in a critical loss of propellant, likely ending the possibility of landing on the Moon.

Despite the setback, the battery is fully charged, and the payloads remain functional. Astrobotic is now considering alternative mission profiles for Peregrine and will continue to work towards gathering valuable data. The support and unity within the spaceflight community have been instrumental in facing this challenge.

The successful launch of the Astrobotic Peregrine lander using ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket is a significant step towards returning the United States to the Moon. The mission provides valuable insights and data that contribute to the exploration and understanding of our celestial neighbor. With continued advancements in space technology, future missions hold the promise of further discoveries and achievements.