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2mo ago

SpaceX Launch Set to Deliver Water-Hunting Lander and Orbiter to the Moon

The mission aims to explore the moon's south pole for water ice and other resources, advancing lunar exploration and future space missions.

Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission completed all integration milestones and is safely encapsulated within SpaceX's payload fairing in preparation for launch. This includes Intuitive Machines rideshare payloads from NASA JPL, Astroforge, and Epic Aerospace.
MIT engineers envision AstroAnt can work as one of a “swarm” of miniature helper bots.
Photo of Intuitive Machine's Athena lunar lander. © Intuitive Machines
The AstroForge Odin spacecraft is seen inside testing and development facilities.

Overview

  • The Intuitive Machines Athena lander and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer orbiter are scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 7:17 PM EST from Kennedy Space Center.
  • Athena will target the moon’s south pole, carrying NASA’s PRIME-1 drill to search for water ice and volatiles beneath the lunar surface.
  • The Lunar Trailblazer satellite will orbit the moon for 20 months to map water distribution and assess its potential use for supporting human exploration.
  • Athena’s mission includes deploying a robotic hopper and rover to explore shadowed craters and test lunar cellular networks, marking several technological firsts.
  • The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, supporting efforts to establish a sustainable lunar economy and infrastructure.