Ibadan, 2 October 2024. – The Deep Space Network (DSN) managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) successfully completed end-to-end test communications with Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander, an important milestone to demonstrate the lander’s compatibility with space-to-ground communications that will occur during Griffin Mission One (GM1)’s journey to the lunar surface.
After GM1 separates from SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, the lander will consequently utilize DSN’s antennas in Canberra, Australia; Madrid, Spain; and Goldstone, California. These dishes are the same suite that enabled communication with Astrobotic’s Peregrine Mission One (PM1) during its 10-day mission through cislunar space, as well as historic NASA missions like the James Webb Space Telescope, New Horizons, Parker Solar Probe, InSight, Juno, and MAVEN.
The Griffin lander is currently undergoing assembly and testing at Astrobotic’s headquarters and will tentatively launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 2025. DSN will subsequently provide the connection to enable Astrobotic staff to command GM1, receive images and scientific information from the lander, and support continuous radio communication between the spacecraft and Earth.
Speaking on the mission with the DSN, Steve Clarke, Astrobotic’s Vice President of Landers & Spacecraft, commented, “Astrobotic worked closely with NASA’s JPL staff to complete this significant test with DSN and Griffin’s communication systems including flight avionics, ground support software, and mission ops infrastructure.’ The VP also added, “Seeing Griffin successfully pass commands and receive telemetry using the DSN network energized our team for the next crucial phases of development and testing before we launch next year.”
Hitting these major program milestones for Griffin Mission One confirms the technical capabilities of our team, many of whom just overcame huge obstacles to keep Peregrine flying for over ten days in space earlier this year,” added Clarke.