CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Monday morning, a launch took place in Cape Canaveral, Florida, for the robotic Peregrine moon lander that is expected to arrive on the moon next month.
On board the shuttle is a lunar codex time capsule, which is using digital and analog technology to preserve art, books, music, and more.
The moon lander is the first US lander in 51 years to be launched since the final Apollo mission.
Local Sumter astrophotographer and engineer Hap Griffin was asked nine years ago to contribute 5 astrophotographs to the capsule.
Today, those photos are making their way to the moon.
“It's an awesome feeling knowing that something I made is traveling through space right this second heading to the moon,” Griffin said. "This was the biggest rocket that ever sat on this pad (in Cape Canaveral), and it had a beautiful paint scheme. I knew at the top of that was the small lander, and inside that lander was a disc with my pictures on it, and it was just an awesome feeling.”
The robotic peregrine lunar lander took off Monday January 8, 2023, around 2:20 a.m. as Griffin stood 2 miles away watching his astrophotography photos start their journey to the moon.
“Astrophotography is exceedingly challenging because you're taking pictures of light that is millions of years old. You are looking at things that are just, I call it this side fo black, and trying to make beautiful images out of it.”
The photos are stored in what's known as the moon ark along with seeds of different flowers from around the world, drops of water from every ocean in the world as well as pictures, poetry and music.
All of which represents artistic melding of all the history of man with the moon over eons.
“So they asked me what I could contribute and I said I could do telescopic pictures of the 6 Apollo landing sites where man first set foot on the moon in the late 60's and early 70s, they thought it was a great idea.
The photos are preserved on sapphire discs that will, according to griffin, will essentially last forever.
“This little canister has 4 discs in it. It's not digitally etched, the photographs are actually on the discs, you can hold it up to light and see it. All of which is packed away inside the lander and will basically sit there undisturbed for millions of years.”
The Peregrine moon lander is expected to arrive February 23 if all goes well, with that capsule awaiting future astronauts to come.
“The idea is that possibly future astronauts will come upon this lander and look inside and see this memorial to man's relationship with the moon over eons.”
Following successful liftoff of the lunar lander an announcement was made that there was a failure with the propulsion system causing a critical loss of propellant. As of now it is unclear if the mission will be successful.
However, no matter the outcome, Griffin says he was honored to contribute his work to the capsule.