Hobbled Peregrine moon lander limps to lunar distance as Astrobotic fights to keep it alive

A diagram of a private moon lander's trip to tlunar distance and the location of the moon at .

Astrobotic's Peregrine lander has made it out to lunar distance, a major milestone for the crippled craft — but a moon landing still doesn't appear to be in the cards.

Peregrine launched Jan. 8 on the first-ever liftoff of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket. The spacecraft aimed to make history, becoming the first private lander ever to ace a soft touchdown on the moon.