We’re going back to the moon! The Pittsburgh-based aerospace company Astrobotic is sending off the Peregrine lunar lander on January 8 – well, it’s scheduled to, at least. It was supposed to blast off on Christmas Eve but got delayed. (The timing and alignment have to be just right!)
What Is A Lunar Lander?
It’s what detaches from the rocket and actually lands on the moon. The Peregrine is 6 feet tall and wrapped in insulation to protect it from the moon’s extreme conditions. This lander has its own electronics, solar power, and communications system.
The Peregrine is going to be carrying 21 “payloads,” which is just a fancy name for something on the lander. CMU is sending up “Iris,” the smallest and lightest rover to ever go into space — possibly the first American robot to drive on the moon.
Where Is It Happening?
The actual launch is happening in Cape Canaveral, Fla., but a team of experts will be working in Pittsburgh around the clock. You can watch them work via livestream.
Why Should I Care?
Pittsburgh could make history! Astrobotic wants to put the first commercial lander on the moon.
CMU Robotics Institute professor David Wettergreen tells City Cast Pittsburgh producer Sophia Lo why there’s so much interest in going to the moon again:
“One of the really exciting discoveries of recent years has been the presence of water on the moon. We don't know exactly what form it takes and how much is there, but if there's water on the moon, that would allow us to provide drinking water for astronauts or people on the moon. But also by splitting the H2O molecule, we get hydrogen for fuel for rockets and oxygen to breathe.”
🎧 This isn’t Pittsburgh’s first rodeo in space exploration. Listen for more on our interstellar history and the city’s plans for a “Space District.”
