America’s first lunar lander in over 50 years has been abandoned due to critical loss of fuel during its journey to the moon.
Astrobotic, which launched the first private lunar mission Monday, revealed the Peregrine spacecraft is expected to run out of fuel in about 40 hours.
‘Given the propellant leak, there is, unfortunately, no chance of a soft landing on the moon,’ the Pittsburg-based company shared in an announcement.
The 1.2-ton lander is carrying $108 million worth of NASA instruments, a hair sample from US President John F Kennedy, and the ashes of 60 other people set to be dropped on the lunar surface.
When the fuel is expended, Peregrine’s solar panels will slip into darkness, and the batteries will quickly drain.
Hellbound and Down 