New space probe could become first private mission to land on the Moon
The first private mission to the Moon could touch down on the lunar surface next month, carrying British technology.
The US space company Astrobotic, is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral in Florida next Monday, and will attempt to land on February 23.
If successful, it will be the first time a commercial company has made a soft landing on the Moon. The private Japanese firm iSpace attempted a landing last April, but crashed on the surface after misjudging its altitude.
Unlike previous Moon missions, which have been led by national space agencies, Peregrine Mission One (PM1) marks an historic change in space use, which could allow any private entity to reach the lunar surface.
Lander carrying payloads for Nasa
The lander is carrying payloads for Nasa, to help the agency prepare for humans returning to the Moon from 2025 under the Artemis mission.
Among its payload, the lander is carrying an instrument developed by British scientists which is hunting for water in the thin lunar atmosphere near to the surface, the first time technology from the UK has reached the Moon.
The Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS) - which is partly designed by The Open University and the Science and Technology Facilities Council RAL Space, will identify water molecules by measuring their mass as they pass through the sensor.
Pave way for future lunar pole missions
The instrument will pave the way for future missions to the lunar poles, where spotting water will be crucial to provide water for astronauts and future colonies. The mission is part of Nasa’s broader Artemis programme, which plans to return humans to the Moon in 2025.
Dr Simeon Barber of the Open University, said: “Various new data in the last decade has overturned the Apollo-era notion of the Moon as a bone-dry place.
“We have seen hints of ice at the cold lunar poles, and suggestions of water globally, as well as new analyses of Apollo samples showing small pockets of water within the lunar rock itself.
“We are interested in how these water molecules travel through the lunar atmosphere under the influence of day-night temperature cycles, eventually reaching the super cold polar regions where they accumulate slowly as frost or ice layers.”
Destined for Gruithuisen Domes
The Peregrine lunar lander is destined for an area in the Gruithuisen Domes - a series of volcanic domes named after the German astronomer Franz von Gruithuisen.
Once it’s on the surface, the PITMS is designed to operate for roughly two weeks - or one lunar day.
Chris Howe, production and software group leader at STFC RAL Space, said: “The utilisation of the Moon’s water could prove vital for future human endeavours in space, so we’re incredibly proud to have had the opportunity to help develop PITMS and are delighted to see it safely on its way.
“The technology from PITMS will now help underpin future missions so whilst PITMS will only operate for one lunar day on the Moon, its legacy will be felt for years.”
The spacecraft will blast off aboard a Vulcan Centaur rocket, built by US aerospace manufacturer United Launch Alliance.
It is part of Nasa’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which aims to involve commercial companies in the exploration of the moon. The Astrobotic lander is one of the first of at least eight CLPS deliveries planned by the space agency.
Other instruments search for hydrogen on Moon
Also on board is a Laser Retroreflector Array, which will act like a homing beacon from future missions, providing a permanent marker from which to make precise measurements for orbiting and landing spacecraft.
Other instruments will be searching for hydrogen in the Moon dust, or regolith on the surface, as well as looking for methane and carbon dioxide and monitoring radiation.
Libby Jackson, head of space exploration at the UK Space Agency - which provided £14 million in funding to develop the PITMS instrument through its European Space Agency membership, said: “Witnessing the first instrument from the UK, and indeed Europe, launch to the moon is a hugely exciting moment.
“We are looking forward to seeing Peregrine safely on the surface and the return of important data from PITMS to help unlock the secrets of water on the Moon.”
