by NASA has redirected a private U.S. moon lander to a new touchdown site to increase science returns ahead of crewed lunar missions.
The Peregrine lunar lander, built by Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic, is now slated to touch down, along with a suite of NASA science gear, this year in a strange patch of the moon known as the Gruithuisen Domes.
Scientists can't yet explain how the moon generated enough magma to create the Earth-like domes in the moon's Ocean of Storms region, given that lunar geology lacks two key ingredients: plate tectonics and substantial water.
Peregrine's landing in 2023 will be the first in this region ahead of a planned 2026 NASA effort to examine the domes.
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The Peregrine lunar lander, built by Pittsburgh-based company Astrobotic, is now slated to touch down, along with a suite of NASA science gear, this year in a strange patch of the moon known as the Gruithuisen Domes.
Scientists can't yet explain how the moon generated enough magma to create the Earth-like domes in the moon's Ocean of Storms region, given that lunar geology lacks two key ingredients: plate tectonics and substantial water.
Peregrine's landing in 2023 will be the first in this region ahead of a planned 2026 NASA effort to examine the domes.
Source
