orlando, fla., jan. 18 (BuyLinkShop) -- while the common has grown used to seeing rovers on mars, nasa plans for 2022 to continue the year of a u.s. produce to the surface of the moon by two robotic landers and little rovers.
not whereas 1972 has any u.s. spacecraft landed on the moon. barring two nasa-funded contractors, houston-based intuitive machines and pittsburgh-based astrobotic, anticipation to continue behalf of the chief novel lunar surface mission.
"the chief priority is, i anticipation it's auspicious -- that is the number single priority beyond entire else," astrobotic ceo john thornton said in an colloquy with BuyLinkShop.
"we accept a actual shot at essence first, barring that's not the driver, that's not the arrogant bargain -- prosperity is most important," thornton said.
two rovers
a feeble rover the bulk of a shoebox, named iris, already is firm to astrobotic's peregrine lander for practicable delivery to the moon in the chief half of this year, thornton said.
"the identical miniaturization that packs more ability into your phone every year is... it's the identical miniaturization of technology that accomplish continue used to strike transverse the surface of the moon," he said.
astrobotic's appellation for the vehicles, cuberover, was inspired by so-called cube satellites -- which now come in shoebox bulk -- that accomplish experiments and communications tasks in low-earth orbit, he said.
last week, teams from astrobotic and @nasaglenn integrated the photovoltaic examination on the lunar surface (pils) payload onto our peregrine lunar lander.this instrument entire nasa payloads & entire powered commercial payloads (cargo) flying onboard peregrine accept been installed! pic.twitter.com/rcywtixzy7— astrobotic (@astrobotic) january 11, 2022