Marcia Dunn | Associated Press

An unusually strong solar storm hitting Earth produced stunning displays of color in the skies across the Northern Hemisphere, with no immediate reports of disruptions to power and communications. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reached Earth on Friday afternoon, hours sooner than anticipated.

Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology’s lunar lander will soon burn up in Earth's atmosphere after a failed moonshot. Astrobotic Technology says its lander is now headed back from the vicinity of the moon.

Astrobotic Technology’s lander began losing fuel soon after Monday’s launch. The spacecraft also encountered problems keeping its solar panel pointed towards the sun and generating solar power.

A moon landing attept by a private US company appears doomed because of a fuel leak on the newly launched spacecraft. Astrobotic Technology managed to orient the lander toward the sun Monday so its solar panel could capture sunlight and charge its onboard battery.

Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology has a planned liftoff of a lander Monday aboard a brand new rocket, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan.