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A British-made instrument will be onboard a privately-owned spacecraft as it embarks on a historic voyage to the moon.
The Peregrine Mission One (PM1), created by the American space company Astrobiotic, is on track to become the initial privately-funded spacecraft to successfully land on the moon’s surface.
It is planned to be among the initial American moon landing since the last Apollo mission, Apollo 17, over five decades ago.
An instrument called the PITMS, developed by scientists from The Open University and the Science Technology Facilities Council RAL Space, will be included on board. This instrument, known as the Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer, was created in the UK and is a part of the country’s national space laboratory.
The equipment will examine the sparse atmosphere of the moon and also gather information on the potential movement of water on its surface.
For many years, researchers believed that the moon was completely lacking in water and any traces found in samples from the Apollo missions were assumed to be from Earth.
In recent years, newer missions have discovered the existence of water. In 2020, Nasa also verified the presence of water molecules in well-lit regions of the moon.
According to Dr Simeon Barber from The Open University, recent data has challenged the previous belief that the moon was completely devoid of water during the Apollo era.
There have been indications of frozen water at the frigid poles of the moon, and indications of water or its byproduct, the hydroxyl molecule, on a global scale. Additionally, recent examinations of samples collected during the Apollo missions have revealed small amounts of water contained within lunar rocks.
Comprehending the cycle of water on the moon is essential for the advancement of lunar exploration.
Water is a key resource for sustaining human presence on the moon – providing drinking water as well as supporting various industrial processes.
Dr. Barber stated that her team is studying the movement of water molecules in the lunar exosphere, specifically how they are impacted by the changing temperatures during day and night. They are particularly interested in understanding how these molecules eventually make their way to the extremely cold polar regions and form frost or ice layers over time.
The movement through the outermost layer of the atmosphere is what connects different sources of water and determines its destination in frozen polar areas.
PITMS will use measurements to determine the makeup and thickness of the atmosphere surrounding the moon over the course of a lunar day. This will help us understand the current processes occurring on the moon, as well as its past and those of other similar planets.
The Peregrine lander’s launch window will begin on January 8 at 7:18am in UK time.
The space vehicle will launch into space using a Vulcan Centaur rocket, which was constructed by United Launch Alliance, an American aerospace company. The launch will take place at Cape Canaveral, located in Florida.
This is a component of Nasa’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which seeks to incorporate private businesses in the study of the moon.
The initiative, meanwhile, is part of Nasa’s broader Artemis programme, which plans to return humans to the moon.
Libby Jackson, the leader of space exploration at the UK Space Agency, announced that the agency has allocated £14 million in funding towards the development of the instrument as part of their membership with the European Space Agency. She stated that the Peregrine lunar lander will be instrumental in advancing our understanding and exploration of the solar system.
It’s incredibly thrilling to witness the first instrument from the UK, and Europe as a whole, being launched to the moon.
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We anticipate Peregrine’s safe landing on the surface and the retrieval of crucial data from PITMS, which will aid in uncovering the mysteries of water on the moon.
“It’s fantastic to see our skilled UK experts at the heart of an international mission that will support future long-term presence in space.”
Chris Howe, the leader of the production and software group at STFC RAL Space, stated that utilizing the water on the moon could be crucial for future missions in space. He expressed pride in his team’s role in developing PITMS and is pleased to see it successfully launched.
Officials have stated that if the spacecraft is launched on January 8, it may potentially make a landing on the moon on February 23.
The location it is headed towards is a region within the Gruithuisen Domes, a collection of volcanic domes named in honor of the German astronomer Franz von Gruithuisen.
After reaching the surface, the Peregrine lander is meant to function for about two weeks, which is equivalent to one day on the moon.
Mr Howe said: “The technology from PITMS will now help underpin future missions, such as the Rosalind Franklin Rover, so whilst PITMS will only operate for one lunar day on the moon, its legacy will be felt for years.”
Michelle Donelan, Secretary of Science and Technology, stated that the forthcoming release of the Peregrine Lunar Lander showcases the steadfast commitment of our exceptional British scientists collaborating with global allies.
The initial scientific equipment from Britain to make contact with the moon’s surface will be a significant milestone for the UK’s space sector and the start of an intriguing exploration into how we can maintain a lasting human presence on the lunar surface.
Source: independent.co.uk
