Peregrine lunar lander attempt jeopardized by engine problem, company says

An American aerospace company said Monday that its probe’s lunar landing may not go forward after engine problems at launch that could leave it short of power.

Astrobotic Technology, based in Pittsburgh, said its Cape Canaveral, Fla., launch early Monday morning went well until an “anomaly” prevented the craft from “achieving a stable sun-pointing orientation.”

Without active solar panels, the Peregrine probe has dwindling energy reserves, putting the lunar mission at risk, the company said. Flight engineers were able to orient the craft toward the sun to receive solar energy but lost communication with the craft shortly after.

It’s unclear if the maneuvers were enough for the craft to regain solar power.

Astrobotic was aiming to be the first private business to successfully land on the moon, something only four countries have accomplished. A second project from a Houston-based company is due to launch next month. Both are backed by NASA.

No matter the fate of the probe, the launch marked a crucial success for United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The Vulcan Centaur rocket launch performed well, Astrobotic said, setting up the platform for continued success as a main rocket system for the U.S. Space Force.

Boeing and Lockheed hope the success of the Vulcan Centaur can catch up with private aerospace giant SpaceX, which has dominated the field. United Launch Alliance has been the primary government contractor for U.S. spaceflight since 2006 but has lost ground to SpaceX in recent years.

The Vulcan Centaur platform is set to replace two aging rocket propulsion systems that rely on Russian parts. Both older platforms are set to be phased out by next year.

The Associated Press contributed.