Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Astrobotic's Moon Lander Is Ready for Launch!

At NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, Astrobotic team members pose in front of the Peregrine lunar lander before it began testing inside a thermal vacuum chamber at MSFC earlier this month.
Astrobotic

Peregrine TVAC Testing Successful, Approved for Flight! (Press Release)

Astrobotic announced today that its Peregrine lunar lander has successfully completed its entire flight acceptance campaign. Peregrine is now ready to be shipped to Cape Canaveral, Florida when Astrobotic’s rocket provider, United Launch Alliance (ULA), gives the green light to receive it.

"Peregrine Mission One's (PM1) flight acceptance campaign was completed on schedule and exceeded expectations. These tests ultimately proved the quality of Peregrine’s design and workmanship over the full assembly and integration campaign. Everyone worked diligently, even through holidays, for this incredible achievement," says Sharad Bhaskaran, Astrobotic’s PM1 Mission Director.

The final hurdle, thermal-vacuum (TVAC) testing, proved that Peregrine can survive and operate in the thermal and vacuum conditions of space. The spacecraft was subjected to extreme hot and cold temperatures in the thermal vacuum chamber to simulate conditions during its mission.

All spacecraft components were functionally tested as well to demonstrate flight-like operations.

Peregrine will be at Astrobotic headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on public display beginning this Thursday, January 26. Visitors can visit the conjoining Moonshot Museum to catch a glimpse of the spacecraft until it is prepped for shipment to Cape Canaveral, Florida for its journey to the Moon.

Source: Astrobotic

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Assembly is completed on the Peregrine lunar lander inside the cleanroom at Astrobotic's headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA...in November of 2022.
Astrobotic

The Vulcan core stage booster is about to be placed atop its Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) inside the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's Space Launch Complex (SLC)-41...on January 25, 2023.
United Launch Alliance

The Vulcan core stage booster is placed atop its MLP inside the VIF at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's SLC-41...on January 25, 2023.
United Launch Alliance

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