NASA’s Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission has successfully landed on the Moon’s South Pole as part of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The mission launched on February 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and touched down on March 6 in Mons Mouton, a plateau near the lunar pole.
The CLPS mission is designed to gather data about Earth’s nearest neighbor and pave the way for future American astronauts to explore the Moon. It includes several NASA instruments, including a polar resources ice mining experiment, a laser retroreflector array, and a micro nova hopper.
One of the main objectives of the mission is to measure the potential presence of volatiles or gases from lunar soil, which will provide valuable insights into the Moon’s composition. The mission also includes a passive laser retroreflector array that will enable precision laser ranging, allowing future spacecraft to determine their location on the lunar surface.
Other technology instruments on the IM-2 mission are designed to demonstrate advanced communication systems and deployable drones. These include Nokia’s Lunar Surface Communications System, which aims to provide high-definition video transmission, command-and-control messages, and sensor data, and Intuitive Machines’ Micro Nova hopper, a propulsive drone that can survey the lunar surface.
The IM-2 mission is part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, which includes conducting more science to better understand planetary processes and evolution, searching for evidence of water and other resources, and supporting long-term, sustainable human exploration. The mission’s findings will contribute to our understanding of the Moon’s surface and help pave the way for future human missions.
NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro said that the CLPS initiative is leading the way in expanding America’s reach and capabilities in space, driving innovation, and preparing for sending humans farther into the solar system.
Source: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/liftoff-nasa-tech-science-en-route-to-moon-with-intuitive-machines