😔 Problems for Pittsburgh’s Peregrine lander

Future Uncertain for Pittsburgh’s Lunar Lander

The Pittsburgh-made Peregrine lunar lander suffered a “propulsion anomaly” hours after launch Monday, and it’s not clear how much it can accomplish on its way toward the moon. As of my bedtime, Astrobotic’s mission team had been awake and working well over 24 hours monitoring Peregrine and trying to identify and solve the issue. They also shared a photo from space. United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket took off around 2:18 a.m. Monday at Cape Canaveral, Fla., carrying 21 payloads from NASA and other organizations, including CMU.

• 🚀 How Pittsburgh made space history [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

Pens Minority Owner Named In Epstein Papers

In court documents unsealed last week, Ron Burkle, who owned the Penguins alongside Mario Lemieux from 1999 to 2021, was listed among associates of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Burkle still owns a fraction of one percent of the Penguins and mostly spends his time in California where he also owns the professional soccer team, the San Diego Wave. Neither he nor the Pens responded to requests for comment. [$$, The Athletic]

• ➡️ Hear more in today’s news roundup. [🎧 City Cast Pittsburgh]

PRT’s University Line Construction Continues

Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s project to develop bus lanes between Downtown and Oakland continues on Sixth Avenue this week between Smithfield Street and William Penn Place. Work at Sixth and Grant Street is already underway, limiting traffic to one-lane each way; that’s expected to wrap up by the end of the month. [Pittsburgh Union Progress]

Let’s play a game! Where can you find the photo above? 👀 Hint: You can get coffee here!

🌟 Shout out to Andy C., Mike M., Carla C., Jay C., Diane T. Taylor F., and Kellie M. who correctly guessed the last “Where Is It?” challenge of 2023:

In this mural at Plummer and Butler streets, artist Maggie Negrete created an outdoor “love letter” to women who helped to shape Lawrenceville’s cultural scene.

Peregrine Probs, Turnpike Hikes & Vote for Your Favorite River

Pittsburgh payloads successfully blasted off, and then it got complicated. City Cast’s Megan Harris and Marylee Williams are talking through the Peregrine lunar lander launch, making the NFL playoffs, some local ties to national stories, and the funniest anecdotes about pet appetites we’ve heard all year.