U.S. moon lander Peregrine to burn up in Earth's atmosphere

The lunar lander developed by American private company Astrobotic Technology, dubbed Peregrine, is heading back toward Earth and is scheduled to burn up in the atmosphere, reported Xinhua, quoting NASA.

The lander blasted off on United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket from Florida on Jan. 8. Shortly after separating from the spacecraft, Peregrine experienced a propulsion issue.

The propulsion issue ultimately prevented the lander from softly landing on the moon, according to NASA.

Astrobotic said that on its current trajectory, Peregrine will re-enter Earth's atmosphere on Thursday, Jan. 18, and is likely to burn up.

It is the best approach to safely and responsibly conclude Peregrine Mission One, said NASA.

The mission was planned to be the first time an American company sent a spacecraft to the moon, and the first time the United States returned to the lunar surface in more than 50 years.