The spacecraft destined for the moon ended up back on Earth, burning up in the atmosphere. Astrobotic Technology of Pittsburgh announced the loss of communication with its Peregrine moon lander on Thursday afternoon, indicating that it entered Earth’s atmosphere over the South Pacific. The Peregrine had been on a trip for more than 10 days, covering more than half a million miles before returning to Earth. Its main payloads were from NASA, part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. The spacecraft launched on Jan. 8 and although it suffered a propulsion malfunction, it continued to operate. Due to a propellant leak, the spacecraft was set on a trajectory to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. Other landers are aiming for the moon, including a Japanese spacecraft attempting a lunar landing and the next NASA-financed commercial mission by Intuitive Machines of Houston.
