NASA launches Peregrine 1 Moon Lander, first in 50 years! Human remains on board

financialexpress.com:

The Peregrine 1 lander which is carrying NASA’s scientific equipment, has begun its journey towards the moon following the successful launch of the Vulcan Centaur rocket at Cape Canaveral.

This significant event marks the maiden flight of the robust new rocket constructed by the United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed. It also signifies the endeavor to accomplish the first soft landing by the United States on the lunar surface in five decades.

Crafted by the space robotics firm Astrobotic, the Peregrine lunar lander lifted off at 7:18 GMT, aspiring to secure the distinction of being the initial private company to achieve a lunar landing—a milestone that has been challenging to attain in recent times.

Shortly after separating from the rocket, Astrobotic’s mission control received signals from the lander, which is now entering a highly elliptical orbit, aligning itself towards its intended destination.

The collection of NASA payloads aboard Peregrine One aims to identify lunar water molecules, measure radiation and gases around the lander, and scrutinize the lunar exosphere (the thin layer of gases on the Moon’s surface). These measurements will enhance our comprehension of the interaction between solar radiation and the lunar surface, NASA added.

If all goes according to plan, Peregrine is expected to land in the Sinus Viscositatis, or Bay of Stickiness, a mid-latitude region on the Moon, on February 23.

According to CBS News, Peregrine carries 20 experiments and international payloads, including six NASA instruments, a $108 million valued sensor, a shoebox-sized rover by Carnegie Mellon University, a physical Bitcoin, as well as cremated remains and DNA, including those of Gene Roddenberry,