Astrobotic Technology
American space robotics company / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Griffin (spacecraft)?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Astrobotic Technology inc., commonly referred to as Astrobotic[1] is an American private company that is developing space robotics technology for lunar and planetary missions. It was founded in 2007 by Carnegie Mellon professor Red Whittaker and his associates with the goal of winning the Google Lunar X Prize.[2] The company is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their first launch occurred on January 8, 2024,[3] as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The launch carried the company's Peregrine lunar lander on board the first flight of the Vulcan Centaur rocket from Florida's Space Force Station LC-41.[4] The mission was unable to reach the Moon for a soft or hard landing.[5] On June 11, 2020, Astrobotic received a second contract for the CLPS program. NASA will pay Astrobotic US$199.5 million to take the VIPER rover to the Moon, targeting a landing in November 2024.[6]
Company type | Private company |
---|---|
Industry | |
Founded | 2007; 17 years ago (2007) |
Founder | John P. Thornton Red Whittaker |
Headquarters | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Key people |
|
Products |
|
Number of employees | 130 (As of 2023[update]) |
Website | www |