Peregrine first in series involving private spacecraft as conflict between scientific and commercial lunar interests looms
To the casual observer, the preparations under way at Cape Canaveral in Florida point to nothing more than a routine launch of another spacecraft to the latest destination in the solar system.
But the mission, scheduled for take-off on Christmas Eve, marks a turning point in space exploration. Rather than running the show, Nasa is handing over control: it has paid a private company, Astrobotic, to design a spacecraft and handle its launch and landing.
About Author
More Stories
Microsoft unveils chip it says could bring quantum computing within years
I keep fantasising about living in total solitude in a forest
Virologist Wendy Barclay: ‘Wild avian viruses are mixing up their genetics all the time. It’s like viral sex on steroids’