CRUX's video: Watch 1st Commercial Moon Mission Take Off Astrobotic Launches Peregrine Lander Via Vulcan Centaur

The countdown is underway for the highly anticipated launch of the "Peregrine" lunar lander, a pioneering mission by the Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic. Scheduled for liftoff at 2:18 a.m. ET on Monday, the uncrewed Peregrine lander will ride atop the United Launch Alliance's cutting-edge Vulcan Centaur rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. This mission is poised to achieve several historic milestones. Firstly, it marks the inaugural launch of the next-generation Vulcan Centaur booster. Secondly, if successful, Astrobotic could secure the title of the first private company to execute a controlled, or "soft," landing on the moon. NASA, a key collaborator in this venture through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, has reported an 85% chance of favorable weather conditions for the scheduled launch. A successful landing would not only represent a significant achievement for Astrobotic but also a groundbreaking moment for the burgeoning commercial space industry. Thus far, only the space agencies of four countries—the United States, the former Soviet Union, China, and India—have accomplished lunar landings, with no private enterprise having achieved this feat. Despite being a private initiative, the Peregrine mission receives sponsorship from NASA, emphasizing the collaboration between governmental and private sectors in space exploration. The mission is part of NASA's broader strategy to return astronauts to the moon, utilizing the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program to contract private firms for transporting scientific instruments and equipment to the lunar surface. Joel Kearns, a deputy associate administrator at NASA headquarters, highlighted the agency's belief in leveraging entrepreneurship and innovation within the American industrial base through initiatives like the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. The success of the Peregrine mission could further open up access to space exploration beyond traditional government and military entities, paving the way for increased involvement of private enterprises in future lunar endeavors. n18oc_world n18oc_crux CRUX is your daily video news guide to the big events that are shaping our world. We track news, geopolitics, diplomacy and defence strategies and explain how they shape national policies. Crux makes sense of global developments, and analyses their impact on daily lives. Follow CRUX on Telegram: https://bit.ly/3fnlLua Follow CRUX on Instagram (@crux.india): https://bit.ly/3qSFx1K Follow CRUX on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Lte7iF with latest headlines on politics, sports and entertainment on news18.com https://bit.ly/2Y4QccL Also watch: Crux Decode: https://bit.ly/3MjzIoG Crux+ : https://bit.ly/35mm97B Crux Most Watched: https://bit.ly/3KhJ8iX