Tag: Intuitive Machines
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NASA unveils three teams to compete for crewed lunar rover demonstration mission
NASA awarded contracts for three companies and their teams to move into the feasibility phase of developing options for a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV). Renderings: Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, Astrolab NASA selected three companies to move forward with developing crewed, unpressurized rovers capable of operating on the Moon’s South Pole on Wednesday. Intuitive Machine’s Moon…
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That moment when you land on the Moon, break a leg, and are about to topple over
After six days and the public release of new images, engineers have finally pieced together the moments before, during, and after the Odysseus lander touched down on the Moon. During a news conference on Wednesday, the chief executive of Intuitive Machines, Steve Altemus, described what his company has learned about what happened last Thursday evening…
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A little US company makes history by landing on the Moon
For the first time in more than half a century, a US-built spacecraft has made a soft landing on the Moon. There was high drama and plenty of intrigue on Thursday evening as Intuitive Machines attempted to land its Odysseus spacecraft in a small crater not all that far from the south pole of the…
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Intuitive Machines’ ‘Odysseus’ becomes first commercial lander to reach the Moon
Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander named Odysseus cruises over the near side of the Moon on Feb. 21, 2024, a day ahead of its scheduled landing attempt. Image: Intuitive Machines Update 8:30 p.m. EST: Intuitive Machines confirmed that the lander is upright and sending data. In a day not seen since the Dec. 11, 1972, a…
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Intuitive Machines’ Moon lander Odysseus reaches lunar orbit
A image of Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander named ‘Odysseus’ captured by one of the spacecraft’s onboard cameras. Image: Intuitive Machines Updated to include the new target landing time. Achieving a successful lunar landing becomes increasingly more tangible for the team at Intuitive Machines with each passing day since launch. On Wednesday, the Houston-based company announced…
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Intuitive Machines’ Moon Lander Beams Back Selfies from Space
A cutting-edge moon lander, Odysseus, has captured its first images from space, showcasing Earth in the backdrop as it embarks on its pioneering mission. Launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 15, the robotic spacecraft, developed by Intuitive Machines, transmitted several snapshots shortly after separating from the rocket’s second stage. “Intuitive Machines successfully…
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Fueling a spacecraft while it’s on a rocket? “Not trivial,” SpaceX official says.
Are you ready for round two of the lunar lottery? As early as Thursday morning, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a privately developed lunar lander may launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The vehicle, built by a Houston-based company called Intuitive Machines, will be the second US-made lunar lander to launch from Florida in…
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SpaceX, Intuitive Machines launches robotic lander to the Moon
Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander, named ‘Odysseus,’ displayed prior to encapsulation inside a pair of SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairings. Image: SpaceX Update 2:10 p.m. EST: The Nova-C lander successfully separated from the spacecraft and teams were able to acquire signal with the lander. A launch pad billed as the Apollo program’s “Moonport” once again honored…
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Three robotic missions target Moon landings over one week in January
Intuitive Machines engineers loading the IM-1 mission Nova-C lunar lander into its custom container in Houston, TX. Image: Intuitive Machines In a blend of interesting circumstances and happenstance, two private companies and Japan’s space agency are all poised to land on the Moon in the back half of January 2024. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency…
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Private astronaut mission likely first to use SpaceX’s new crew access tower
The crew access arm is manuevered into place on the newly constructed tower at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now. A crew access arm was lifted into place at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral on Monday, as SpaceX races to ready the pad for its first Crew Dragon…