Pittsburg, PA
Fuel leak forces Pittsburgh's Astrobotic to abandon moon landing attempt
A crippling fuel leak forced a U.S. company on Tuesday to give up on landing a spacecraft on the moon.
Astrobotic Technology’s lander began losing fuel soon after Monday’s launch. The spacecraft also encountered problems keeping its solar panel pointed towards the sun and generating solar power.
“Given the propellant leak, there is, unfortunately, no chance of a soft landing on the moon,” Astrobotic said in a statement.
Astrobotic had been targeting a lunar landing on Feb. 23, following a roundabout, fuel-efficient flight to the moon. It could have been the first U.S. moon landing in more than 50 years, and the first by a private company. A second lander from a Houston company is due to launch next month.
Only four countries have pulled off a successful moon landing.
The company said the new goal was to keep the lander operating as long as possible in space, in order to learn as much as possible for its next mission a year or so from now. Flight controllers managed to keep the spacecraft pointed toward the sun and its battery fully charged, with another 40 hours of operations anticipated.
The Pittsburgh-based company did not elaborate on why the Peregrine lander’s propellant system failed just hours into the flight.
NASA paid Astrobotic $108 million to fly its experiments to the moon on this mission, part of the agency’s commercial lunar program.
The 90-foot tall Ferris wheel will run from July 1 through July 5 on the North Shore. Tickets are on sale now and 50% of all proceeds will be donated to the Veterans Leadership Program. Tickets can be purchased at: pittsburghpa.gov/july4.
The BNY Main Stage at Point State Park will have entertainment starting at 4 p.m. Headlining the performances will be Grammy- and Tony-Award nominated national pop rock band the Plain White T’s. Shows are free,
As part of the National Flag Foundation’s Light to Unite, the city’s skyscrapers will be illuminated in red, white and blue across Downtown at 9 p.m.
The city’s fireworks spectacular is set to be the city’s largest fireworks display in decades. For the first time, there will be a drone performance immediately before the fireworks start.
The fireworks show will utilize six barges on all three rivers – and some rooftops. Fireworks will begin at 9:35 PM on July 4.
Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh is promising its biggest fireworks show ever. Here’s what the setup looks like.
We are just two days away from the Fourth of July, and that means fireworks. The final preparations are underway for the City of Pittsburgh’s show, which is promised to be the largest in history. In all, five barges full of fireworks will be set off for this show.
Under the blistering sun, the true heat is packed on the barges along the Ohio River. Thousands upon thousands of fireworks will go off during the 25-minute show Saturday night, done by Starfire Corporation.
“Being down here, for our family to be able to perform for Pittsburgh is such an honor,” Starfire Corporation vice president Vince Terrizzi Jr. said.
Planning started back in February for this event. The barges will go on the Mon, Allegheny and right near The Point, creating a triangle effect around the Golden Triangle.
“We have one rooftop location that will surprise people and come in and out during the show,” Terrizzi said.
In all, nine truckloads of fireworks were brought in to be part of the show. Inspectors with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire inspected and will do a final inspection before the show. For the inspector, it’s her last show as she plans to retire in a few months.
“Going out with literally the biggest bang the city has ever seen,” Lisa Epps-Cuda said with a laugh.
Starfire has done the about a half dozen of the city’s shows over the years, and it never gets old for them.
“Listening to the crowd’s response, boats cheering, those kind of things make it worth its while,” Terrizzi said.
As for the weather, the big concern will be lightning; the fireworks can still be fired off in the rain. The show is set to go off at 9:35 on Saturday night.
“Mayor of Kingstown” has wrapped up filming its fifth and final season in Pittsburgh.
Since the Paramount+ show began filming in western Pennsylvania in 2022, the Pittsburgh Film Office says it has injected over $325 million into the local economy and created over 10,000 jobs. In total, the show has had 457 shoot days in the Pittsburgh area.
“We look forward to seeing your work on the screen and thank you for several years of dedication to the region,” the Pittsburgh Film Office wrote in a Facebook post.
Production of the show’s fifth and final eight-episode season began in March. According to Paramount+, the new season follows what happens when an FBI agent described as a “dedicated lawman” arrives in Kingstown and “threatens to disrupt the tenuous balance of power.”
Jeremy Renner, who stars as Mike McLusky, marked the end of the show in an Instagram post, saying he was “filled with gratitude.”
“I am so very thankful for all of your support over the years—it has given my stride and purpose in my recovery and love in my heart,” Renner wrote. “Thank you cast and crew for carrying me through when necessary.”
Renner broke dozens of bones and underwent multiple surgeries after he was involved in an accident involving a 7-ton snowplow on New Year’s Day in 2023. He has said that returning to the set of “Mayor of Kingstown” for Season 3 helped him cope.
The release date for Season 5 hasn’t been announced yet.
-
Alaska5 minutes agoSome of the best America has to offer can be seen at its national parks
-
Arizona12 minutes agoMilwaukee Brewers vs Arizona Diamondbacks score, lineups, live updates
-
Arkansas15 minutes agoArkansas Game and Fish ramps up lake patrols for busy Fourth of July weekend
-
California27 minutes agoMother, daughter found ‘alive and well’ after going missing on Southern California hiking trail
-
Colorado30 minutes agoThousands forced to evacuate in Colorado as wildfire spreads
-
Connecticut35 minutes agoAGANORSA Leaf Aniversario Connecticut Tubo Ships
-
Delaware42 minutes agoGov. Matt Meyer kicks off July 4th weekend with ice cream treat
-
Florida45 minutes agoUS Coast Guard saves 8, including infant and child, after vessel capsizes off Fort Myers Beach
