The US private Moon mission launched on Monday has run into a technical hitch, Paralel.Az reports citing BBC.

The Astrobotic company behind the project says its Peregrine spacecraft has experienced an "anomaly" that has stopped it from pointing its solar panels at the Sun.

Without the ability to charge batteries, the mission won't be able to proceed.

Astrobotic said engineers were working on the issue and will provide updates when it has more information.

The 1.2-tonne lander was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a Vulcan rocket.

It is aiming to become the first American mission in half a century to make a soft landing on the Moon - first commercial endeavour to do so.

The US space agency has purchased capacity on the lander for five instruments to study the lunar environment ahead of sending astronauts later this decade.