Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, expressed his pride in this significant achievement. "This milestone is the culmination of four years of technical excellence, overcoming challenges and celebrating successes. It's an honor for our team to lead the United States back to the Moon," he said. "The delivery of the first of three planned lunar landers carrying NASA and commercial payloads marks a historic moment for the entire commercial aerospace industry. We eagerly anticipate this upcoming launch and our future missions."
In collaboration with SpaceX, the IM-1 lunar mission is set to launch within a multi-day window opening no earlier than January 12, 2024. Backup launch opportunities will be determined based on lunar blackout windows and other factors, should unfavorable conditions such as poor weather arise.
The IM-1 mission will be operated from Intuitive Machines' Nova Control Center in Houston, Texas. Here, flight controllers will oversee spacecraft health, transmit commands, and receive data throughout the lander's approximately six-and-a-half-day journey to the lunar surface via the company's Lunar Data Network. Post-landing, Nova-C is expected to function in the lunar south pole region for nearly two weeks, supporting various payload customers.
The completion of the IM-1 lunar lander in September at the company's Lunar Production and Operations Center at Houston Spaceport was a crucial step. Following this, in late November, the lander was securely transported to Cape Canaveral using a custom-designed air ride ground transport system.
IM-1 marks the first of three planned lunar landings by Intuitive Machines under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, a critical component of NASA's Artemis lunar exploration program. The mission aims to deliver science and technology payloads to the Moon's surface, laying the groundwork for sustainable human presence and commercial development of the Moon.
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Intuitive Machines
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