{"id":27728,"date":"2024-01-08T12:41:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T12:41:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/01\/08\/first-us-lander-in-half-century-rockets-to-moon-on-commerce-mission\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:14:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:14:35","slug":"first-us-lander-in-half-century-rockets-to-moon-on-commerce-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/govcon\/2024\/01\/08\/first-us-lander-in-half-century-rockets-to-moon-on-commerce-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"First US lander in half century rockets to moon on commerce mission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The first U.S. lunar lander in more than 50 years rocketed toward the moon Monday, launching private companies on a space race to make deliveries for NASA and other customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Astrobotic Technology\u2019s lander caught a ride on a brand new rocket, United Launch Alliance\u2019s Vulcan. The Vulcan streaked through the Florida predawn sky, putting the spacecraft on a roundabout route to the moon that should culminate with an attempted landing on Feb. 23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, so, so excited. We are on our way to the moon!\u201d Astrobotic chief executive John Thornton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t