Post #4722

SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch of private Griffin moon lander now targeting mid-2026 SpaceX's next mission to the moon, and the next launch of its triple-booster Falcon Heavy rocket, has slipped to no earlier than July 2026. Astrobotic's Griffin-1 lunar lander, carrying NASA and commercial payloads that include rovers from Astrobotic and Astrolab, will wait just a little longer before its planned excursion to the moon. The mission had previously targeted a launch at the end of 2025, but will apparently miss that deadline, according to an Astrobotic update posted on Oct. 24. The mission will mark Astrobotic’s second attempt at a lunar landing after its Peregrine Mission One in January 2024 failed to reach the moon after experiencing a propellant leak shortly after launch. Griffin is undergoing payload integration and software testing at the Pennsylvania company's facility, where propulsion testing and avionics validations are currently underway. Source:Space.com @EverythingScience