Astrobotic Technology

Astrobotic Technology is an aerospace and robotics business based out of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, U.S. The company was established in 2007. privately owned company is currently developing technologies for the next stage of mankind’s exploration into space, specifically for mission towards Moon as well as other planets.

The company was created by Carnegie Mellon University professor and robotics expert Red Whittaker and his associates is aimed at helping other developers to get their ideas to space.

“We’re creating a flourishing humanity in space, allowing us to explore space and the world beyond Earth’s orbit. Our belief is in sophisticated and practical application of robotics to allow space access to everyone around the globe,” Astrobotic Technology writes on its official website(opens in a new tab). “We are experts in creating the space missions more feasible and affordable for exploration, science and business. We believe that the moon is an excellent starting point.

NASA is certainly confident in Astrobotic’s dedication to space-related research. In 2008 NASA U.S. space agency funded an initial study conducted by Astrobotic. A year later, it granted Astrobotics $795,500 USD to study the possibility of exploring lunar resources. In the year 2010, NASA has signed a number of contracts with Astrobotic worth as high as $30 million USD.

The NASA collaborations have been going on at a an increasing pace since then when they began, and one of the most important changes being the successful bid by Astrobotic to NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services to transport technology and science payloads to space, resulting in an $79.5 million deal.

The possibilities are endless for Astrobotic’s cooperation and one of the contracts specifically, could be among the most bizarre collaborations in the history of science. In the month of January, 2021, the YouTuber MrBeast(opens in a new tab) made arrangements with Astrobotic to ship a drive with digital files that were uploaded by people who made a $10 payment to his store on the internet into space.

Both landing craft use what Astrobotic Technology refers to as “next generation technology for space engines” with the bigger Griffin having seven engines for its main maneuvers, whereas Peregrine is equipped with five engines.

The engines assist Landers in the procedure of trans-lunar injection trajectory correction lunar orbit insertion and then powered descent as described in Astrobotic’s user’s manual for payloads(opens in a new tab). Then, four groups of thrusters for controlling attitude, or each lander will maintain their position as they approach the moon’s surface. An even landing regardless of the surface’s conditions is assured with Peregrine along with Griffin’s four legs that absorb shock.

The Peregrine Lander is scheduled to reach the moon sometime in 2023. It is expected to carry around eleven NASA payloads. Additionally, Griffin has been chosen to be the landing vehicle to carry the NASA’s Volatiles Investigational Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) to the lunar south pole in 2024.

Astrobotic Technology doesn’t only help other space agencies and outfits to explore the moon’s surface, but. Astrobotic Technology plans to do moon roving on its own.