Intuitive Machines, the company that made history earlier this year with the first commercial lunar landing (albeit partially successful), is set to return to the moon with more NASA payloads. Under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, Intuitive Machines will design and build a lander to deliver six science payloads to the moon’s south pole in 2027. This mission, valued at $117 million, demonstrates NASA’s commitment to partnering with private space companies, viewing them as customers rather than solely relying on internal development of spacecraft.
This mission aims to arrive at the lunar south pole ahead of the Artemis missions, which will see humans return to the lunar surface. The company is also planning to launch another lunar lander called Athena later this year, with a third launch scheduled for next year.
The science payloads onboard this mission represent a diverse range of research objectives:
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Regolith Response:
An experiment will investigate how the dusty lunar surface, known as regolith, reacts to a spacecraft landing.*
Distance Measurement:
A collection of retroreflectors will be deployed to aid in precise distance measurements.*
Yeast in Lunar Gravity:
Research will explore the response of yeast to the moon’s gravitational and environmental conditions.*
Lunar Magnetic Fields:
A magnetometer will measure the magnetic fields of the moon.*
Water Ice Exploration:
A European Space Agency drill and miniature laboratory, known as Prospect, will be utilized to search for water ice up to 1 meter beneath the lunar surface. This package aims to identify resources potentially useful for future human exploration.The scientific community is eager to gain valuable insights from this mission. “The instruments on this newly awarded flight will help us achieve multiple scientific objectives and strengthen our understanding of the Moon’s environment,” said Chris Culbert, manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “For example, they’ll help answer key questions about where volatiles — such as water, ice, or gas — are found on the lunar surface and measure radiation in the South Pole region, which could advance our exploration efforts on the Moon and help us with continued exploration of Mars.”
This mission reinforces NASA’s dedication to expanding our knowledge of the moon and its potential for future exploration. The agency’s collaboration with private companies like Intuitive Machines is driving innovation and paving the way for a new era of lunar exploration.
