Astrobotic's Peregrine Moon Lander Fails to Reach Destination

Despite a propulsion anomaly leading to mission failure, Astrobotic remains optimistic as some onboard instruments were able to collect data.

Astrobotic's private Peregrine moon lander, launched on January 8, 2024, suffered a propulsion anomaly causing a significant propellant leak, leading to its failure to reach the moon and its eventual disintegration in Earth's atmosphere.
Despite the mission's premature conclusion, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton expressed pride in the parts of the spacecraft that functioned as intended, and highlighted the team's ingenuity in managing the situation.
The anomaly was caused by a valve failure in the lander's propulsion system, which led to a rush of helium entering the oxidizer tank, causing it to rupture.
Astrobotic's mission controllers were able to use the propellant leak to set the craft on a safe reentry over the Pacific Ocean, minimizing space debris.
Despite not reaching the moon, some of Peregrine's payloads, such as a radiation detector built by the German Aerospace Center, were able to collect data.