Moon landing attempt abandoned after spacecraft suffers fuel leak

Astrobotic had been targeting a lunar landing on February 23 after a roundabout, fuel-efficient flight to the moon.

In this image released by Astrobotic Technology, an image from a mounted camera shows a disturbed section of insulation on the Peregrine lander, while on its way to land on the moon, Monday, January 8.

A crippling fuel leak has forced a US company to give up on landing a spacecraft on the moon.

Astrobotic Technology’s lander began losing fuel soon after Monday’s launch, possibly because of a ruptured tank. The spacecraft also encountered problems keeping its solar panel pointing towards the sun and generating solar power.