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Plans Detailed for First US Mission to Land on Moon Since Apollo

Reuters

   SEATTLE - The first American spacecraft expected to land on the moon in
   nearly 50 years will be a robotic moon lander built by closely held
   Astrobotic Technology and launched in two years by United Launch
   Alliance's Vulcan rocket, the companies told Reuters on Monday.

   Astrobotic was one of nine companies chosen in November to compete for
   $2.6 billion to develop small space vehicles and other technology for
   20 missions to explore the lunar surface over the next decade.

   Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic picked Vulcan, being developed by a joint
   venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to launch its Peregrine lander
   from Florida's Cape Canaveral in summer 2021.

   Barring schedule slips, Astrobotic said Peregrine would be the first
   American spacecraft to touch down on the moon since Apollo astronauts
   touched down in 1972.

   The mission will ferry technology and experiments to the moon under a
   NASA program that will lay the groundwork for astronaut trips by 2024
   under the optimistic schedule laid out by the Trump administration.

   "Our first flight on Vulcan is also the first big step in going back to
   the moon," United Launch Alliance Chief Executive Tory Bruno told
   Reuters ahead of the announcement.

   Astrobotic said in May that NASA awarded it $79.5 million for the first
   mission, which will carry up to 28 payloads from eight different
   countries, including the United States and Mexico.

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