How to watch the first U.S. commercial moon mission launch tonight

By Trevor Mogg January 7, 2024

Jan. 8 LIVE Broadcast: Vulcan Cert-1

A new Vulcan Centaur rocket operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA) is on the launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center as final preparations are being made for what’s set to be a historic mission.

Early Monday morning ET, ULA’s rocket will blast off on a mission aimed at becoming the first to put a privately built lander on the moon in a controlled, soft landing.

Organized by Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology, Peregrine Mission 1 is also the first U.S. effort to put a lander on the lunar surface in 50 years.

The Peregrine Lunar Lander is about 6 feet high and 8 feet across and is carrying various scientific payloads that will be used to study the lunar exosphere, thermal properties, and hydrogen abundance of the lunar regolith, magnetic fields, and the moon’s radiation environment. The mission is also aiming to test advanced solar arrays.

Peregrine Mission 1 was selected through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative in which NASA signs up commercial partners. With the space agency aiming to expand its lunar explorations through its Artemis program in the coming years, this is expected to be the first of many commercial missions carrying both cargo and crew to the moon.

The Peregrine lander is scheduled to land on the moon on Friday, February 23, with a successful mission paving the way for 192 hours of intensive research.

How to watch

ULA is targeting 2:18 a.m. ET on Monday morning (11:18 p.m. PT Sunday night) for the launch of Peregrine Mission 1 to deploy Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lunar Lander on the moon in the first-ever commercial lunar mission. It’s also the first launch of ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket.

ULA’s Vulcan rocket will lift off from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The weather conditions suggest an 85% chance of Peregrine Mission 1 getting underway on time.

The early stages of the flight will be live-streamed via the video player embedded at the top of this page, or via ULA’s YouTube channel, which will carry the same feed.

Be sure to check ULA’s social media feed for the latest information on progress toward launch.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Tech News

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Space

Rocket Lab aces its first launch from U.S. soil

Rocket Lab launching an Electron rocket from the U.S.

Rocket Lab has completed its maiden mission from its new launch site in the U.S., marking a big step forward for the company as it seeks to better compete with the likes of SpaceX.

The Virginia is for Launch Lovers mission lifted off from Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Tuesday evening.

Space

Rocket Lab pushes its first U.S. rocket launch to 2023

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket on the launchpad.

Rocket Lab’s debut mission from U.S. soil has been pushed to next year after strong winds forced the team to call off the latest launch attempt earlier this week.

The mission had already been delayed several times due to administrative issues with the Federal Aviation Administration. Poor weather conditions also played a part. The latest delay was put down to “strong upper-level winds” at Virginia Space’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility about 100 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.

Space

How to watch Rocket Lab’s first U.S. launch today

Rocket Lab's Electron rocket on the launchpad.

UPDATE: Strong winds have caused Rocket Lab to delay the launch. It's now out of the launch window for 2022 and so will make another attempt to begin the mission in early 2023.

Rocket Lab is about to perform its first-ever launch from U.S. soil in what will be a major step forward for the 16-year-old spaceflight company.