All articles tagged with #astrobotic
Astrobotic unveils its Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE), showing three detonation waves that produce a spiraling exhaust flame and delivering over 4,000 pounds of thrust in tests at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, including a 300-second burn believed to be a new RDRE record. The results hint at potential uses from lunar landers to in-space propulsion.
Astrobotic’s Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine achieved a 300-second continuous burn at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, with two prototypes delivering sustained operation, stable detonation, and about 4,000+ pounds of thrust per engine, marking a key step from experimental tests toward flight-ready propulsion for lunar landers and cislunar missions.
Astrobotic tested its Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, firing two prototypes to more than 4,000 pounds of thrust per engine for a combined 470 seconds of burn time across eight hot-fire tests, with no damage observed. The RDRE uses detonation shockwaves in a circular channel to boost efficiency and has potential for lunar landers and deep-space propulsion, supported by NASA SBIR awards and a Space Act Agreement; similar RDRE work is underway by Venus Aerospace and NASA.
Astrobotic has secured $17.5 million in NASA and military contracts to develop three reusable suborbital vehicles, including upgrades to its Xodiac and Xogdor models, supporting technology demonstrations, lunar and planetary landing tests, and potential national security applications, with scheduled entries into service from 2026 to 2028.
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy moon mission with Astrobotic's Griffin lander has been delayed to no earlier than July 2026, due to ongoing payload integration and testing, marking a setback for NASA's lunar exploration efforts under the CLPS program.
Astrobotic has delayed its Griffin-1 Moon lander mission to July 2026, aiming to support NASA's lunar exploration efforts with a new payload, the FLEX rover, after multiple previous delays due to technical and developmental challenges. The mission, launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center, is part of NASA's CLPS program to advance lunar science and exploration.
Astrobotic has delayed its Griffin-1 lunar lander mission to mid-2026, with the launch now scheduled for no earlier than July 2026, due to ongoing assembly and testing processes. The mission will carry the FLIP rover and other payloads, replacing the originally planned 2025 launch. The delay follows NASA's decision to cancel the VIPER rover's original mission, which will now be flown by Blue Origin in 2027.
NASA is evaluating the future of its VIPER lunar rover mission, which was canceled in July due to anticipated cost overruns and delays. The agency is reviewing responses to a request for information (RFI) seeking alternative uses for the nearly complete rover. Despite successful environmental tests, VIPER's launch was delayed to no earlier than September 2025 on Astrobotic's Griffin lander. NASA is considering partnerships and may propose next steps by early 2025, while Congress could potentially intervene to revive the mission.
Astrobotic and Mission Control have partnered to use Mission Control’s Spacefarer software to operate Astrobotic’s CubeRover, which will be part of Astrobotic’s next lander mission to the Moon. The software will enable semi-autonomous navigation and analysis of images taken by the rover's cameras. The partnership, stimulated by the Canadian Space Agency's Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program, aims to demonstrate the software's capabilities and open up new opportunities for Mission Control in handling spacecraft operations.
Astrobotic has hired experienced industry officials, including former NASA officials, to assist with the development of its Griffin lander following the investigation into its first lunar lander mission. The company is working to address issues from the previous mission, including a propellant leak, and is preparing to incorporate lessons learned into the development of the larger Griffin lander, which is set to deliver NASA’s VIPER lunar rover to the moon's south polar region.
SpaceX aims to launch the next Starship test flight in early May, potentially impacting small satellite launch providers. Rocket Lab successfully launched a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office, marking its fourth launch from Wallops Island, Virginia. Astrobotic's Xodiac rocket completed its first night flight in preparation for upcoming NASA testing to simulate lunar surface landings.
Astrobotic is preparing for its next moon mission, the Griffin Mission One lunar lander, following the failure of its Peregrine Mission One. The upcoming mission will carry NASA's VIPER robot to the moon's south pole to investigate water ice. Despite the setbacks, Astrobotic remains optimistic about the future of lunar exploration and the success of the NASA CLPS initiative.
Despite not reaching the moon due to a propellant leak, Astrobotic's Peregrine lander provided valuable data for NASA and other payloads during its flight. Instruments like LETS and PITMS collected data on cislunar radiation and detected traces of nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, while the Iris lunar rover underwent subsystem testing. Astrobotic is investigating the propellant leak, impacting the development schedule for the larger Griffin lander and NASA's VIPER mission, with a new launch date likely to be set after the investigation's completion.
NASA advised Astrobotic to redirect its Peregrine lander back to Earth after a propellant leak, leading to its destruction during re-entry, in order to avoid creating debris around the Moon that could impact future missions, despite the possibility of the leak stopping and the lander reaching the Moon.
The US private moon lander, Peregrine, made by Astrobotic, crashed while carrying human remains and DNA samples of famous personalities, including former Presidents and Hollywood stars, making it the most significant space burial. The crash was due to a propellant leak, causing the craft to fall back to Earth and break up over the Pacific Ocean. Despite the failure, the mission carried out various scientific payloads, including NASA instruments to measure water molecules and radiation on the moon, marking a step towards moon exploration and supporting NASA's plans for future lunar missions.