Fuel leak problem confirmed 7 hours after launch
“Problems are likely to arise during the soft landing phase.”
America’s first attempt to land on the moon in over 50 years was on the verge of failure due to a fatal fuel leak.
According to the U.S. Associated Press on the 8th (local time), Astrobotic, the developer of the private lunar lander ‘Peregrine’, said in a statement, “We adjusted the direction of the solar panel that charges the battery so that the panel faces the sun. “We succeeded in doing this, but we discovered a serious fuel loss problem.”
He added, “We are currently looking for preparedness measures to solve this problem.”
The lander’s fuel leak problem was discovered about seven hours after launch from Cape Canaveral Space Station in Florida, USA on the 8th. The lander is equipped with engines and fuel for flight from Earth to the Moon, as well as the thrusters needed for landing on the lunar surface.
Astrobotic explained, “It is expected that fuel leaks will cause problems when the lander makes a soft landing on the moon.” Astrobotic released photos taken by a camera mounted on the lander and said, “A problem occurred in one part of the insulation, which is consistent with previously identified defects.”
Peregrine, which was launched at 2:18 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the 8th (4:18 p.m. on the 8th, Korean time), will land on the lava field ‘Cinus Viscositatis’ on the front of the moon on the 23rd of next month if no problems occur. It was planned. However, it is expected that the goal of landing on the moon will be difficult to achieve due to problems with the propellant.
Astrobotic received an investment of $108 million (about 141 billion won) through a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in exchange for sending NASA’s exploration equipment to the moon. The lander was equipped with equipment to investigate radioactivity and the presence of ice on the lunar surface.
Meanwhile, Korea is also participating in NASA’s ‘Commercial Lunar Lander Service (CLPS)’ project. Equipment such as the ‘Lunar Surface Magnetic Field Gauge (LSMAG)’, ‘Lunar Surface Radiation Meter (LVRAD)’, and ‘Lunar Space Environment Monitor (LUSEM)’ developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute are used.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.