Astrobotic Technology facts for kids
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| Private company | |
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| Founded | 2007 |
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Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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Number of employees
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130 (As of 2023[update]) |
Astrobotic Technology Inc., often called Astrobotic, is an American company. It creates space robotics for missions to the Moon and other planets. The company started in 2007. It was founded by Carnegie Mellon professor Red Whittaker and his team. Their first goal was to win the Google Lunar X Prize. Astrobotic is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Astrobotic had its first launch on January 8, 2024. This was part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The mission carried the company's Peregrine lunar lander. It launched on the first flight of the Vulcan Centaur rocket. This launch happened from Florida's Space Force Station LC-41. Sadly, the mission could not reach the Moon.
On June 11, 2020, Astrobotic got another contract for the CLPS program. NASA agreed to pay Astrobotic US$199.5 million. This was to take the VIPER rover to the Moon. The landing was planned for November 2024. However, in July 2024, NASA announced that the VIPER mission was canceled.
Contents
History of Astrobotic
Early Goals and NASA Support
In 2007, Astrobotic announced a big goal. They wanted to be the first private company to land on the Moon. That same year, they built a working model of a spacecraft. They called it Red Rover. They also changed the name of their planned lander from Artemis Lander to Griffin.
In July 2008, NASA gave Astrobotic money for a study. This study looked at ways to move lunar soil, called regolith. The next year, Astrobotic started getting more funding from NASA. This money helped them study how to find resources on the Moon. This led to an idea for a machine called Polar Excavator.
In October 2010, NASA gave Astrobotic a contract worth up to US$30.1 million. This was for showing new ways to explore the Moon. In December 2010, Astrobotic received another US$500,000 from NASA for more lunar demonstrations.
Astrobotic also proposed ideas for exploring Moon caves. This idea was chosen by the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC). In April 2011, Astrobotic got a US$599,000 contract. This was to build a device that could make rovers feel lighter. This helps test how rovers move in Moon-like gravity.
Leadership Changes and New Designs
In May 2012, John Thornton became the new President of Astrobotic. He took over from David Gump.
On April 30, 2014, NASA chose Astrobotic for its Lunar CATALYST program. This program helps companies develop lunar landers. Astrobotic's Griffin lander was part of this agreement. The agreement was extended in October 2017.
In June 2016, Astrobotic showed a new design for its Griffin lander. They renamed it Peregrine. Airbus Defence and Space agreed to help Astrobotic improve the lander's design. In December 2016, Astrobotic changed its launch date to 2019. They also decided to leave the Google Lunar X Prize competition.
Commercial Lunar Missions
On November 29, 2018, Astrobotic became eligible to bid on NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. This program delivers science tools to the Moon. Astrobotic won a US$79.5 million contract. They were to deliver payloads to a place called Lacus Mortis on the Moon. Astrobotic planned to launch 14 payloads starting in July 2021.
In September 2019, a company called Spacebit signed a deal. They wanted Astrobotic to deliver the first UK lunar rover, Asagumo. This mission was called "Spacebit mission one."
On September 25, 2019, John Thornton, Astrobotic's CEO, won an award. He was named CEO of the Year by the Pittsburgh Technology Council.
In January 2021, MrBeast, a famous YouTuber, announced something cool. He said he would put a payload on the Peregrine lander. This payload was a hard drive filled with digital images. People could submit their images by paying US$10 through his online store.
In June 2021, the first flight of the Vulcan Centaur rocket was delayed. It was supposed to carry the first Peregrine lander. The delay was due to testing issues.
In November 2021, Astrobotic Technology was recognized. They were named one of the "World's Best Employers in the Space Industry."
Problems during a test in December 2023 delayed the Vulcan Centaur's first flight again. It was pushed to 2024.
The Peregrine lander launched on January 8, 2024. It lifted off from Florida's Space Force Station LC-41. It was on the first flight of the Vulcan Centaur. A fuel leak stopped it from reaching the Moon. The mission stayed in Earth's orbit. It ended with a controlled fall back into Earth's atmosphere on January 18, 2024.
In 2024, Astrobotic announced a new service called ‘Luna Grid’. They plan to use their landers and rovers with special solar panels. This will help provide steady power on the Moon's surface.
Missions
Canceled Missions
- In April 2011, Astrobotic planned a mission to the Moon's north pole. They had a contract with SpaceX to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket. This mission was planned for December 2013. It was supposed to carry the Griffin lander. It would also deliver a small rover and up to 110 kg of other equipment. The mission was first called Polar Excavator, then Icebreaker. The rover for this trip was named Polaris. A model of Polaris was shown in October 2012. The launch date kept getting pushed back. Astrobotic even teamed up with other Google Lunar X Prize teams. They planned to share the launch costs. All their rovers would launch on one SpaceX Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket. They would use Astrobotic's Griffin lander. After landing, the teams would compete for the prize. However, the Griffin lander was never built. The Icebreaker mission never launched.
- MoonRanger is a 13 kg rover. It was being built to carry equipment on the Moon for NASA's CLPS program. Astrobotic and Carnegie Mellon University received a US$5.6 million contract for it in July 2019. MoonRanger was supposed to launch on the Masten Mission One lander. The rover would explore a polar region of the Moon. It would look for signs of water ice or Moon caves. The rover was designed to work mostly by itself for about a week. But Masten Space Systems went bankrupt in 2022. So, MoonRanger lost its ride to the Moon.
Peregrine Mission One
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Peregrine Mission One was a lunar lander built by Astrobotic Technology. NASA chose it for its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. It launched on January 8, 2024. It was carried by a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket. The lander carried many different tools and experiments. It could carry a total of 90 kg of equipment.
The Peregrine lander was planned to land on Mons Gruithuisen Gamma. For its first mission, it carried 90 kg of equipment. Future missions (Mission Two) could carry up to 175 kg. Later missions (Mission Three and beyond) could carry the full 265 kg.
The Peregrine mission could not reach the Moon. A fuel leak stopped it from landing softly or even crashing. The mission never left its high Earth orbit. It ended by falling back into Earth's atmosphere on January 18, 2024.
Griffin Mission One
The Griffin lander is planned to land near the Moon's south pole. This is expected in November 2024. The spacecraft should work for 100 days after it lands. NASA's VIPER rover was supposed to be the main cargo on the larger Griffin lander. VIPER was a 450 kg rover. However, VIPER was canceled in 2024. VIPER was meant to explore dark areas of craters at the Moon's south pole. It would look for water ice. This ice could be used by future human missions. Other private equipment is also on the Griffin lander. This includes the Lunar Codex's Polaris archive, which holds modern culture.
In March 2024, Astrobotic hired new leaders. This was to help with the Griffin lander after the Peregrine lander failed. The VIPER program was canceled in July 2024. This was due to rising costs and delays. The VIPER rover will be taken apart. Its parts will be used for other Moon missions. NASA still plans to support the Griffin lander. It is expected to arrive on the Moon in fall 2025. It will carry a "mass simulator" instead of the VIPER rover. NASA hopes other missions will achieve VIPER's goals in the coming years.
Griffin Mission Two
This mission is planned to launch in 2026.
CubeRover
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A CubeRover is a type of planetary rover. It has a standard size and shape. This design helps speed up space exploration. It's like the successful CubeSat format. CubeSats are small, standard satellites that are easy to build and connect. CubeRovers are designed to be compatible, modular, and affordable. Astrobotic Technology is developing this rover idea. They are working with Carnegie Mellon University. NASA also helps fund this project.
The first rover based on the CubeRover idea was called Iris. Students at Carnegie Mellon University developed it. Iris was planned to go to the Moon on Astrobotic's Peregrine lander. But it was lost when Peregrine re-entered Earth's atmosphere. So, it was never deployed on the Moon.
See also
- Exploration of Mars
- Exploration of the Moon
- Lunar rover
- Mars rover
