A private US ship’s company has announced it will launch a lunar mission in 2019 , 50 years after men walk on the Moon .

The companionship is called Astrobotic , and they had been one of the competitors in theGoogle Lunar XPRIZE – a wash to the Moon taking place this year . In tardy 2016 , however , they announced they weredropping outof the rival to sharpen on a 2019 mission .

The caller said they now had an agreement with the United Launch Alliance ( ULA ) to launch their vehicle , called Peregrine , on an Atlas V rocket .

“ Astrobotic is shudder to select a ULA launch vehicle as the means to get Peregrine to the Moon , ” said John Thornton , chief operating officer of Astrobotic , in astatement .

“ The Moon is the next peachy frontier , but in a different way than when Neil Armstrong set down there , ” added ULA CEO Tory Bruno . “ enable technologies like those from Astrobotic will allow people to experience and work in the place between here and the Moon . ”

Astrobotic ’s lunar lander will be stationary , carrying about 35 kilograms ( 77 pounds ) of cargo to the Moon ( you could read more about ithere ) . This first mission will simply be a test of the technology , with a phone number of experiments on board . They ’ve already signed 11 contracts with customers who want to take part .

But the bigger goal is perhaps more ambitious . They want Peregrine to become a regular service to the Moon , ultimately taking up to 265 kilograms ( 585 pound ) on each flight .

“ The first mission in 2019 will serve as a key demonstration of service for NASA , international blank space bureau , and companies count to carry out mission to the Moon , ” Astrobotic sound out .

Private moon missions are certainly coming to the fore at the mo . We ’ve already mentioned the Google Lunar XPRIZE , which later this yr could see a handful of teams attempt to bring down on the Moon .

But the legality of doing so has beencalled into questionlately . The US has been drawing up rule for commercial space travel , and one company – Moon Express – already hasgovernment approvalfor their mission . Some group , however , have voiced concerns about existing heritage web site on the Moon , notably the Apollo lunar landing place situation .

That hopefully wo n’t be a problem . But as more and more private companies announce mission to the Moon , and at last launch , things might get a spot interesting . That ’s not a regretful affair , judgment .