Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Factory floor work on readying the Astrobotic Griffin Mission One lunar lander that will carry to the moon NASA’s VIPER robot.
Image credit: Astrobotic Technology

Despite the failure of the first U.S. commercial lunar lander to ever operate in space, Astrobotic Technology is pressing forward on its next moon mission still on the calendar for sendoff before year’s end.

Notes a final update for the Peregrine Mission One on the Astrobotic website:

“Peregrine has flown so Griffin may land. Ad luna per aspera,” the communiqué concludes in a nod to a Star Trek motto, “To the stars through difficulty.”

Peregrine lunar lander imaged the Earth as it headed for destructive dive into the South Pacific ocean.
Image credit: Astrobotic Technology

Now on view

The build-up of hardware for the Astrobotic Griffin Mission One lander is now on view at the Pittsburgh-based private firm from the adjoining Moonshot Museum.

Griffin is the largest lunar lander since the Apollo lunar module.

There’s no doubt about it. The upcoming flight is not just a big one for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative in which American companies are contracted to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface.

Artwork depicts NASA’s VIPER, on the prowl for water and other resources.
Image credit: NASA Ames/Daniel Rutter

It also signals an important bridge to the NASA Artemis human exploration agenda for the moon via the space agency’s VIPER rover.

For more information, go to my new Space.com story – “Astrobotic readies next lunar lander following failed Peregrine moon mission” – at:

https://www.space.com/astrobotic-next-lunar-lander-failed-peregrine-mission