America’s newest rocket is being installed on a launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, marking the first time in more than 50 years that an American spacecraft will be heading to the moon’s surface. The rocket was called Vulcan and was manufactured by United Launch Alliance. Here’s what you need to know about the first flight.
When will it be released? How can I watch it?
The launch is scheduled for Monday at 2:18 a.m. ET. The target is Broadcast on NASA TV From 1:30am
The weather forecast calls for good weather 85% of the time. If the launch is postponed to Tuesday, weather conditions will worsen, with only a 30% chance of favorable conditions.
There will be additional launch opportunities on January 10th and January 11th.
What is the moon exploration plan heading into orbit?
Pittsburgh’s Astrobotic Technology Inc. will send its robotic spacecraft Peregrine to land in a mysterious region on the moon’s far side, Cave Viscositatis (Latin for “sticky bay”). NASA is paying Astrobotic $108 million to conduct five experiments there as part of the space agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program (CLPS). The program aims to reduce the cost of sending items to the lunar surface.
What is a Vulcan rocket and why is it important?
The Vulcan rocket will be manufactured by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and will replace the company’s two current rockets, Altus V and Delta IV.
Since United Launch Alliance was formed in 2006, its primary mission has been to launch top-secret military payloads for the U.S. government. That rocket was expensive, too expensive for most commercial customers, but it was extremely reliable. With Vulcan, ULA aims to further expand its share of the commercial market. The company has already sold more than 70 Vulcan launchers, including 38 to Amazon for construction of its Project Kuiper internet communications satellite constellation.
The U.S. Space Force wants to see Vulcan successfully launch twice before installing a payload. Monday’s announcement is the first certification announcement. A second one could occur as early as April. This will allow the Dream Chaser unmanned spacecraft, built by Sierra Space of Louisville, Colorado, to be hoisted on a cargo mission to the International Space Station.
If these flights are successful, four more Vulcan launches will carry Space Force payloads into orbit this year.
Why are rocket payloads causing controversy?
The Navajo Nation objects to the human ashes and DNA aboard Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander.
In addition to the five NASA experiments, Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander is also carrying several payloads for commercial customers. These include Celestis and Elysium Space, companies that memorialize people by sending parts of their remains into space.
On Thursday, Navajo Nation President Boo Nygren announced in a statement that he had sent letters to NASA and the U.S. Department of Transportation asking them to postpone the launch.
“The moon is deeply embedded in the spirituality and heritage of many Indigenous cultures, including our own,” he wrote. “The enshrinement of human remains on the moon is a profound depiction of this celestial body that our people revere.”
During the press conference, NASA officials said they were not in charge of this mission and could not speak directly about other payloads that Astrobotic sold with Peregrine.
“An intergovernmental meeting has been set up with the Navajo Nation, and NASA will be assisting,” Joel Kearns, NASA’s associate administrator for exploration, said at a press conference Thursday.
Astrobotic CEO John Thornton said Friday that “this story came to us at a very late stage” as his company had announced the participation of Celestis and Elysium years earlier. He said he was disappointed.
“We’re really trying to do the right thing,” Thornton said. “I hope we can find a good path forward with the Navajo Nation.”