Recently, private space firm Astrobotic attempted a world first, putting a lander on the Moon without the help of a national space agency. While the launch was a partial success, an explosion onboard shortly after its rocket separation meant the lander would never make it to the Moon, but now there’s a development.
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 Recently, private space firm Astrobotic attempted a world first,
00:07 putting a lander on the moon without the help of a national space agency.
00:11 While the launch was partially successful, an explosion on board shortly after its
00:15 rocket separation meant the lander would never make it there.
00:18 But now there's a development.
00:19 Experts say the spacecraft is coming home and is expected to enter Earth's atmosphere
00:24 out of control.
00:26 Right now, the craft is some 242,000 miles from Earth.
00:29 Or around the same distance as the moon.
00:31 Initially, many were anticipating that the craft would still make it to the lunar surface,
00:36 crashing down rather than having a safe landing.
00:38 That would still provide the team with more lunar data,
00:40 though that eventuality now seems impossible.
00:43 With Astrobotic posting on Axe, quote, "Our latest assessment now shows the spacecraft
00:48 is on a path towards Earth, where it will likely burn up in Earth's atmosphere."
00:52 They went on to write that they are also assessing all options,
00:55 as the spacecraft careens back towards our planet.
00:57 Astrobotic already has another launch scheduled for later this year,
01:01 hoping to set a lander on the moon's face by November.