NASA is gearing up to launch five payloads to the Moon aboard Astrobotic's Peregrine lander, marking the inaugural mission under NASA's CLPS initiative. Dr. Sharad Bhaskaran, an Indian-origin professional, serves as the mission director at Astrobotic. Formerly with Lockheed Martin, he manages the engineering team. This mission follows Israel's Space IL attempt in 2019 and features significant milestones, including the first U.S. lunar landing in over 50 years and the maiden flight of ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket.