Category Archives: Intuitive Machines

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 1-4 Dec 2023

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USA Returns to the Moon, Part 1: Commercial Lunar Payload Services

Two Moon landings from USA, first in 51 years, set for new year; Astrobotic Peregrine launching NET Dec 24 / landing NET 25 Jan, Intuitive Machines Nova-C launching NET 12 Jan / landing NET 17 Jan; Both missions are independent efforts with NASA support through CLPS, conceived in May 2018 as commercial alternative to proposed Resource Prospector cancelled in April 2018; The $2.6B / 10-year program announced Nov 2018, with first awards including Astrobotic US$79.5M (TO2-AB), Intuitive Machines $77M (TO2-IM), with initial expected launch in July 2021; In total 8 CLPS landing missions are slated for launch between 2024-2026

Credits: Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, NASA

Thanksgiving Holiday Edition
Thurs-Mon / 23-27 Nov 2023

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A Robust International Moon Landing Schedule in First Half 2024

JAXA Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) lander, Astrobotic Peregrine and Intuitive Machines Nova-C Odysseus are slated to land on near side of Moon NET Jan 2024: SLIM is currently in low-energy transfer targeting 100-m landing site near Shioli crater (13.3°S) mid-Jan, Peregrine awaiting ULA Vulcan Centaur launch from KSC NET 24 Dec with late Jan landing near Gruithuisen Domes (36.56°N), Nova-C working toward late Nov shipping from TX to FL for NET 12 Jan launch on SpaceX F9 to 5-7 day direct transfer for mid-Jan landing near Malapert-A (80.3°S); CNSA Chang’E-6 to launch on Long March 5 NET May 2024 to Apollo crater within far side SPA Basin (43.0°S)

Picutred: SLIM Project Manager Shinichiro Sakai, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton, IM CEO Stephen Altemus, CLEP Designer Sun Jiadong; Credits: JAXA, Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, CNSA, Linkedin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 Nov 2023

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4 Lunar Lander Companies Working to Support USA Return to the Moon / Artemis Under NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Service

CLPS providers currently under contract to land NASA and independent payloads on Moon are Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, Firefly and Draper: Astrobotic Peregrine awaiting launch from KSC to Gruithuisen Domes NET 24 Dec, Griffin lander to carry VIPER NET Nov 2024; Intuitive Machines targeting 12 Jan launch of Nova-C to Malapert A and again in 2024 to deliver PRIME-1 drill to Shackleton connecting ridge; Firefly Blue Ghost scheduled to land in Mare Crisium NET 2024 and on the lunar farside NET 2026, delivering radio astronomy LuSEE-Night and SPIDER seismometer; Draper is also targeting Schrödinger Basin on far side NET 2025 with APEX 1.0 lander built in collaboration with ispace USA

Credits: Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, Firefly, Draper, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 Nov 2023

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Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines Prepare for Tandem Approach to Lunar Surface

Task Orders 2-AB and 2-IM, the first of the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services, set to be fulfilled soon: 1.9-m tall, 2.5-m diameter Astrobotic Peregrine awaiting integration with ULA rocket at Astrotech Space facility in Titusville FL with launch planned for 24 Dec from SLC-41, CCSFS carrying 21 payloads (6 NASA, 15 independent); 4.3-m tall, 1.5-m diameter Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander now targeting late Nov shipping to KSC and 12 Jan 2024 launch from LC-39A carrying 11 payloads (5 NASA, 6 independent); With Peregrine taking ~1-month transfer vs Nova-C ~1-week, the 2 USA landers may reach Moon surface mere days apart

Credits: Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines

Friday / 27 Oct 2023

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Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines on Dual Track to Return USA to Moon

Working under first 2 CLPS contracts awarded in 31 May 2019, Astrobotic of Pittsburgh PA and Intuitive Machines of Houston TX now in countdown mode to Moon launch; Astrobotic awaiting ULA readiness to ship Peregrine lander to KSC as Vulcan Centaur being prepped for NET 24 Dec launch on inaugural Certification-1; Intuitive Machines reportedly also aiming for similar time frame launch of Nova-C lander; Peregrine to take 30-day route to mid-latitude Gruithuisen Domes at ~36°N, whereas Nova-C taking more direct 5-7 day transfer via SpaceX F9 to Malapert A near MSP at ~80°S

Credits: ULA, SpaceX, Astrobotic, IM

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 Sep – 2 Oct 2023

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USA Enterprises Eager to Lead Return to Moon Surface, Make History with First Commercial Landings

Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic, Firefly, Draper, and ispace USA are working towards first United States Moon landings in over 50 years, with IM and Astrobotic aiming for launches before EOY; NASA financing IM-1 approximately US$116M and Peregrine Mission 1 $79.5; IM-1 carrying LN-1 navigation instrument, NDL Doppler lidar, SCALPSS plume cameras, and Laser Retroreflector Array produced by GSFC for NASA; Commercial customers include Columbia Sportswear, Embry–Riddle, Lunaprise, Jeff Koons, Lonestar Data Holdings; NASA / UC-Boulder and independent International Lunar Observatory Association to send Astronomy from the Moon precursors ROLSES and ILO-X

Pictured: Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton; Credits: IM, Astrobotic, Linkedin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 August 2023

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As Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3 Position for Moon South Pole Region Landings, Will USA Accelerate Moon Return?

India Chandrayaan-3 Lander Module in 113 x 157 km lunar orbit as ISRO controllers prepare for final deorbiting burn on 19 Aug, 20:30 UTC ahead of planned 23 Aug 12:17 UTC landing, while Propulsion Module performing spectroscopic observation of Earth from Moon orbit; Russia Luna-25 in 100-km lunar orbit following 243 and 76-sec maneuvers on route and a 40-sec orbital correction with landing NET 21 Aug planned; USA commercial lunar landers working under NASA CLPS contracts may launch soon; Intuitive Machines targeting 15 Nov launch of Nova-C / IM-1 mission, followed by IM-2 and IM-3 asap; Astrobotic Peregrine Mission One may still launch in 2023

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 August 2023

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As World Space Powers Converge on Moon, USA May Find Inspiration to Resume Lunar Exploration Promptly

While China continues to operate Chang’E-3 from IAU-designated landing site Guang Han Gong and Chang’E-4 in South Pole–Aitken basin; India and Russia on way to Moon South Pole region (~70°S) with Chandrayaan-3 & Luna-25 landers; USA works toward first soft landing in 50+ years (Apollo 17) via private CLPS providers; Astrobotic awaiting Vulcan Centaur readiness, which ULA CEO says is on track for Q4 2023 launch – Peregrine to fly solo, as Project Kuiper opts to for proven Atlas V; Intuitive Machines preparing IM-1,2,3 and holding Q2 earnings call on 14 Aug

Friday / 11 Aug 2023

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Russia Luna-25 on Route to Moon South Pole

The first Russia lunar lander mission in 47 years has begun 5-day lunar transfer following Soyuz 2.1b launch / TLI firing powered by Fregat-M upper stage; Prime landing site planned near Boguslawsky crater (69.545°S, 43.544°E) expected to be reached between 20-22 Aug (UTC), perhaps arriving slightly before ISRO Chandrayaan-3, currently in 174 km x 1437 km lunar orbit, to MSP region; With China operating for ~10 years on Moon and Russia and India on the way, NASA CLPS landers race to resume USA activity on lunar surface

Friday / 28 July 2023

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Nokia on Track for 4G Cellular Communication Technology for Future Moon, Mars Missions NET 2024

Planning to brave unexplored conditions of Moon south pole Shackleton crater, Nokia Bell Labs (subsidiary of Finland parent company) intends to provide first-ever lunar 4G/LTE cellular internet technology via NASA Tipping Point award and in partnership with Intuitive Machines; IM-2 Nova-C lander will host space-hardened version of 4G/LTE microcell base station unit while 2 lunar vehicles (Lunar Outpost Rover and IM Micro-Nova Hopper) will host radio frequency antennae; IM-2 mission to launch from KSC on SpaceX Falcon 9 NET 2024, plan to provide critical communication networks for future crewed Artemis and robotic missions

Credits: Intuitive Machines, Nokia Bell Labs, NASA