How to watch live Vulcan rocket will launch the first-ever private Peregrine moon lander on January 8

On January 8, the private Peregrine lunar lander is expected to launch towards the moon. This week, there are prelaunch events to help you get ready for the mission.

Built by Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic, Peregrine is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 8 at 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 GMT) atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket. This will be the inaugural launch of ULA’s next-generation rocket, Vulcan Centaur.

On February 23, Peregrine is scheduled to try a lunar landing, which could make it the first private mission to land on the moon. For NASA’s Artemis programme, the lander is demonstrating its capability to deliver cargo to the moon’s surface by aiming for an area of the moon known as Sinus Viscositatis. During this initial mission, Peregrine payloads will also investigate the exosphere, regolith, magnetic fields, and radiation environment of the moon.

Watch live events leading up to the Jan. 8 launch on NASA+, NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency website. How to do it is as follows:

NASA’s pre-launch coverage will begin on Thursday, January 4, with a science media briefing featuring representatives from several space agency departments, including the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) team, which chose Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander for this mission. Live streaming of the briefing will begin at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT).

A media teleconference is scheduled for this Friday, January 5, at 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT), to discuss the lunar delivery’s readiness for launch. Online viewers can join in as representatives of NASA, Astrobotic, ULA, and the U.S. Space Force respond to inquiries from the press.

The launch on January 8 is scheduled for 2:18 a.m. EST (0718 GMT), with live coverage beginning at 1:30 a.m. EST (0630 GMT). The NASA website will provide live updates, and you may use the hashtag #Artemis to follow along on social media.