US launches Vulcan rocket for first moon landing mission in 50 years

The first American spacecraft to attempt to land on the Moon in more than half a century blasted off early on Monday. ‌Space robotics firm Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander began its journey toward space at 2:18am eastern standard time (07:18 GMT) after launching off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. ‌It was being carried on the first flight of Vulcan, a powerful new rocket built by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. ‌#rocket #space #moon Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now: Get the latest headlines: and are websites of The Telegraph, the UK’s best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.