In a monumental leap back into lunar exploration, a groundbreaking mission, spearheaded by the Vulcan Centaur rocket, has lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Developed by United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the Vulcan Centaur rocket soared into the skies at 2:18 a.m. ET on Monday, marking the United States’ first lunar landing mission since 1972.
The rocket carried the Peregrine lander, a creation of Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic Technology, under a contract with NASA. Astrobotic received $108 million from NASA to develop the lander, which is expected to touch down on the lunar surface on February 23 if all goes according to plan. Named after the world’s fastest-flying bird, the falcon, the Peregrine lander is set to operate for up to 10 days, conducting various experiments and analyses.
NASA is just one of the many stakeholders in this mission, contributing five science instruments to Peregrine. These include tools to monitor the lunar radiation environment, study the lunar soil composition for water and hydroxyl molecules, and analyze the moon’s super-thin atmosphere.
Controversially, the mission also carries human remains on behalf of two commercial space burial companies, Elysium Space and Celestis. This decision has sparked opposition from the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American group in the United States, as they consider the moon sacred. Celestis offers to carry ashes to the moon for prices starting at more than $10,000.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket, beyond its payload to the moon, carried an additional payload from Celestis known as the Enterprise Flight. This payload includes 265 capsules with human remains, along with DNA samples from former U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy, George Washington, and Dwight Eisenhower, among others. The Enterprise Flight is destined for deep space, where it will orbit the sun for eternity.
The launch of the Vulcan Centaur rocket itself was a momentous occasion, representing a significant development for United Launch Alliance. If successful, the Vulcan Centaur could potentially replace ULA’s Atlas and Delta rockets, with approximately 70 missions already lined up, according to ULA’s CEO, Tory Bruno.
Despite the challenges and delays faced during the development of the Vulcan Centaur, including setbacks related to Blue Origin’s new engines and the destruction of a test-stage last year, the rocket displayed an impressive performance during liftoff. This mission, with its blend of cutting-edge technology, scientific exploration, and controversial human remains, marks a pivotal chapter in the United States’ space endeavors.