Recent setbacks are not stopping Intuitive Machines, which aims to become the private space industry's pioneer in achieving a soft landing on the Moon
Researchers are eagerly watching the next lunar mission of the American company Intuitive Machines. After all, achieving a soft landing on the Moon is currently unattainable for commercial missions. Only five participants — USA, USSR, China, India and Israel — managed to achieve a controlled soft landing on our natural satellite.
Last year, Japanese company ispace sought to become the first private company to repeat this feat. However, their attempt failed when the landing vehicle, the Hakuto-R Series 1, lost control at the end of its flight and crashed onto the lunar surface.
Then Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic made its attempt. They successfully launched their Peregrine vehicle on a ULA rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. However, after several hours of flight, the team received an alarming message about a critical fuel leak, making it impossible for them to reach their goal. Peregrine burned up in Earth's atmosphere last week.
Next up is Houston-based Intuitive Machines with their Nova-C lunar lander. In light of other companies' failed attempts, it's anyone's guess whether their mission will succeed. This is a complex task that requires a lot of details and perfect preparation. However, Intuitive Machines engineers have done a lot of work and are confident that they will be able to easily land their device on the surface of the Moon.
The success of this lunar mission will be essential for future commercial deliveries to the Moon. Astrobotic, if all goes well, will become the second company participating in NASA's CLPS commercial lunar platform program — program where international companies enter into agreements to undertake scientific missions to the Moon and test new technologies ahead of the first manned Artemis mission, planned for 2026.
The successful landing of Nova-C will support the CLPS model for commercial cargo delivery to the lunar surface, NASA said. But this is not the end of Intuitive Machines' adventure. Their Nova-C spacecraft will be equipped with various scientific instruments to study space weather and make observations valuable for radio astronomy. Also, special attention will be paid to the development of precise landing, transfer and navigation systems for future autonomous vehicles.
The landing apparatus is a hexagonal cylinder 4 meters high and 1.57 meters wide, equipped with six support legs. After launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Nova-C will travel to Malapert Crater at the Moon's South Pole. All hope will be placed on the fact that the device will be able to successfully perform a soft landing and make its contribution to the history of mankind.