Private US lander destroyed during reentry after failed mission to moon, company says
A U.S. company's failed moonshot has ended with a fiery plunge over the South Pacific
By MARCIA DUNN
Published - Jan 19, 2024, 02:54 PM ET
Last Updated - Jan 19, 2024, 02:54 PM EST
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A U.S. company’s failed moonshot ended with a fiery plunge over the South Pacific, officials confirmed Friday.
Astrobotic Technology said contact and then tracking was lost as its lunar lander reentered Earth's atmosphere Thursday, 10 days after launching from Florida. It received confirmation Friday from U.S. Space Command that the spacecraft broke apart during its final moments, CEO John Thornton said.
A fuel leak shortly after liftoff had nixed any chance of a moon touchdown.
“What a wild adventure we were just on,” Thornton said. “Certainly not the outcome we were hoping for and certainly challenging right up front."
