Private US Company’s Second Moon Mission Set for Launch

Intuitive Machines is prepared to launch its second moon landing mission, a company executive confirmed on Wednesday.

The mission features the Nova-C moon lander, Athena, as part of NASA’s $2.6 billion Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

Athena is scheduled to lift off aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The lander aims to touch down near the lunar south pole, close to the Shackleton crater, where it will drill into the surface to search for water ice and other gases.

This follows Intuitive Machines’ historic February landing, which marked the first successful CLPS mission and the first private company to land on the moon.

However, that mission was only partially successful, as the spacecraft tipped sideways upon landing. Despite this, the company maintained communication with the lander, describing it as “alive and well.”

In August, the Texas-based firm secured a $116.9 million CLPS contract to transport six science and technology payloads to the lunar south pole.

The mission takes place amid uncertainties surrounding NASA’s lunar exploration plans.

Four senior officials from the agency’s moon program have recently departed, with increasing speculation over SpaceX founder Elon Musk’s growing influence and push for Mars missions.