Exploring the Lunar South Pole: Intuitive Machines to Send Moon Lander in 2027
Intuitive Machines, a venture-backed startup that recently went public, has been awarded a $116.9 million contract by NASA to send a moon lander to the lunar south pole in 2027. This marks NASA’s tenth award under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, with four of those awards going to Intuitive Machines. The company will deliver six NASA payloads to the moon as part of the contract, with additional payload capacity available for commercial customers.
The lunar south pole is an area of great scientific interest due to the presence of water ice. However, exploring this region presents significant challenges. Many parts of the area are permanently in shadow, resulting in extremely low temperatures and rough terrain. To date, only one rover, India’s Pragyan rover, has briefly explored the region as part of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in August 2023.
One of the key payloads on Intuitive Machines’ mission is a suite of instruments developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). These instruments will collect subsurface samples of lunar regolith and analyze their composition. The data will help assess potential resources on the moon and develop technologies for future resource extraction. In addition, other payloads include a radiometer to study the moon’s surface composition, an instrument to measure the impact of the spacecraft landing on the regolith, and retroreflectors to accurately determine the lander’s location.
Chris Culbert, the manager of the CLPS initiative, highlighted the scientific objectives that these instruments will help achieve. They will provide insights into the distribution of volatiles such as water, ice, and gas on the lunar surface. Additionally, they will measure radiation in the South Pole region, advancing exploration efforts on the moon and aiding future missions to Mars.
Before the scheduled 2027 mission, Intuitive Machines has two other lunar missions in progress. The second lunar mission is set to launch later this year, followed by a mission to the Reiner Gamma region of the moon in 2025. These missions will further test and refine the company’s lunar lander technology.
Intuitive Machines’ first lunar lander mission, launched in February, experienced a minor setback when it landed slightly too quickly and tipped over. Despite this, the mission provided valuable data on the lander’s core components and systems. The positioning of the lander’s solar panels in relation to the sun led to the mission ending prematurely.
Intuitive Machines’ upcoming moon lander mission to the lunar south pole represents a significant step forward in lunar exploration. By delivering NASA payloads and accommodating commercial customers, the mission will contribute to our understanding of the moon’s environment and pave the way for future scientific and resource extraction endeavors.