Nova-C

Privatised Moon landings: the two US missions set to open a new era of commercial lunar exploration

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 2, 2024

Two commercial spacecraft are scheduled to launch to the Moon early in 2024 under a Nasa initiative called the Commercial Lunar Payload Service CLPS.

Key Points: 
  • Two commercial spacecraft are scheduled to launch to the Moon early in 2024 under a Nasa initiative called the Commercial Lunar Payload Service CLPS.
  • This programme is intended to kickstart a commercial transportation service that can deliver Nasa experiments and other payloads to the lunar surface.
  • If successful, these missions will represent the first landings on the Moon by spacecraft designed and flown by private companies.
  • They could potentially open up a new era of commercial lunar exploration and science.
  • These solar energetic particle events (SEPs) are more likely to occur during the Sun’s peak of activity (solar maximum), which occurs every 11 years.
  • During periods of lower solar activity (including the solar minimum), the Sun’s magnetic field, which extends throughout the Solar System, weakens.
  • This is important for examining how dangerous the radiation environment at the lunar surface will be for future human explorers.

Polar landing

  • It is designed by Houston-based Intuitive Machines and has a similar volume to Peregrine, but in the shape of a tall, hexagonal cylinder.
  • Other instruments include a suite of cameras for producing a 3D image of Nova-C’s landing site.
  • This will allow scientists to estimate how much material is blown away by the landing rocket’s exhaust plume during the descent.
  • The “radio observations of the lunar surface photo-electron sheath” (Rolses) instrument is designed to measure how the extremely tenuous lunar atmosphere and the Moon’s surface dust environment affect radio waves.
  • A privately built experiment onboard Nova-C is the International Lunar Observatory ILO-X, which will aim to capture some of the first images of the Milky Way galaxy from the Moon’s surface.

Landing locations

  • Peregrine’s landing site is a bay on the west side of Mare Imbrium, known as Sinus Viscositatis (Bay of Stickiness).
  • Here, two volcanic mountains called the Gruithuisen Domes are made of a different material to the surrounding plains.
  • The landing location for Nova-C is Malapert A crater – which is of particular interest for lunar exploration, as it lies close to the Moon’s south pole.
  • Consequently, it is one of the coldest locations in the Solar System and, given the lack of sunlight, a place where water ice delivered by comets hitting the surface over the aeons could remain stable.
  • Several other companies are due to launch their first payloads to the Moon in the next couple of years.
  • With greater input from private companies – assuming the these first few missions succeed – we may soon witness a new era in lunar exploration.


The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Intuitive Machines Nova-C Lunar Lander Arrives in Cape Canaveral, Florida

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 4, 2023

HOUSTON, Dec. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines”) (“Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has announced the successful delivery of its IM-1 mission Nova-C lunar lander to Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Key Points: 
  • HOUSTON, Dec. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines”) (“Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, has announced the successful delivery of its IM-1 mission Nova-C lunar lander to Cape Canaveral, Florida.
  • Figure 1: Intuitive Machines engineers loading the IM-1 mission Nova-C lunar lander into its custom container in Houston, TX.
  • After landing, Intuitive Machines and its customers expect Nova-C to operate in the lunar south pole region for nearly two weeks.
  • As previously announced, Intuitive Machines completed the IM-1 lunar lander in September at the Company’s Lunar Production and Operations Center located at the Houston Spaceport.

Intuitive Machines Opens Lunar Production and Operations Facility at the Houston Spaceport and Confirms Lander Ship Date in the Coming Days

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 29, 2023

HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines”) (“Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, today opened its Lunar Production and Operations Center.

Key Points: 
  • HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines”) (“Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, today opened its Lunar Production and Operations Center.
  • Located at the Houston Spaceport in Houston, Texas, the Intuitive Machines Lunar Production and Operations Center represents a new lunar access capability for the United States, NASA, and global commercial partners.
  • Construction on the site began in June 2021, with the now completed facility ready to support each of Intuitive Machines’ three NASA-awarded missions.
  • At a press conference held today, Intuitive Machines confirmed its first mission lunar lander, Nova-C, will be shipped from the new facility in the coming days ahead of its upcoming launch.

Intuitive Machines Reports First Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 11, 2023

Lunar lander, Nova-C completed all structural tests, a propellant load demonstration, and a full duration mission sequence test paving the way for Intuitive Machines’ first mission to the Moon expected in third quarter of 2023.

Key Points: 
  • Lunar lander, Nova-C completed all structural tests, a propellant load demonstration, and a full duration mission sequence test paving the way for Intuitive Machines’ first mission to the Moon expected in third quarter of 2023.
  • HOUSTON, May 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, “Intuitive Machines,” or the “Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023.
  • Intuitive Machines CEO, Steve Altemus said, “We are very pleased with the progress we made during our first quarter as a public company.
  • Erik Sallee, Intuitive Machines CFO said, “Our first quarter 2023 financial results were in line with expectations.

Intuitive Machines Successfully Completes Launch Vibration Tests in Preparation for Lunar Mission

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 16, 2023

HOUSTON, March 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines” or the “Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, today announced that its lunar lander, Nova-C has completed all structural testing, paving the way for the Company’s first mission to the Moon later this year.

Key Points: 
  • HOUSTON, March 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) (“Intuitive Machines” or the “Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, today announced that its lunar lander, Nova-C has completed all structural testing, paving the way for the Company’s first mission to the Moon later this year.
  • The series of modal tests, conducted by Intuitive Machines engineers, subjected the Company’s Nova-C lunar lander to low-level vibration to excite the completed lander.
  • The modal tests, in conjunction with previous vibration and static load tests, provide the complete structural certification of the flight lander.
  • “Completing modal testing and structural certification in advance of our first mission to the Moon is a significant milestone ahead of launching later this year,” said Steve Altemus, Chief Executive Officer of Intuitive Machines.

Intuitive Machines Adds Commercial Lunar Rover to its Second Mission to the Moon

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, January 5, 2023

Intuitive Machines, LLC (“Intuitive Machines” or the “Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, and Japan-based robotics company, Dymon Co., Ltd. (“Dymon”), have signed an agreement to fly Dymon’s Yaoki rover on Intuitive Machines’ second mission to the Moon.

Key Points: 
  • Intuitive Machines, LLC (“Intuitive Machines” or the “Company”), a leading space exploration, infrastructure, and services company, and Japan-based robotics company, Dymon Co., Ltd. (“Dymon”), have signed an agreement to fly Dymon’s Yaoki rover on Intuitive Machines’ second mission to the Moon.
  • (Photo: Intuitive Machines)
    Yaoki is expected to be flown to the lunar south pole on board Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander in the second half of 2023.
  • The agreement with Dymon leverages Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Access Services and Lunar Data Services business segments to land the Yaoki rover on the Moon and control it via secure lunar communications.
  • “The commercial demand for lunar access is growing with each of Intuitive Machines’ four planned missions,” said Steve Altemus, Co-Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Intuitive Machines.

Intuitive Machines Hires Former NASA Exploration Leader as Chief Scientist

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Dr. Bussey is a seasoned leader with an unmatched dedication to space exploration, said Intuitive Machines President and CEO Steve Altemus.

Key Points: 
  • Dr. Bussey is a seasoned leader with an unmatched dedication to space exploration, said Intuitive Machines President and CEO Steve Altemus.
  • Intuitive Machines team is leading a wave of lunar exploration that will define a generation, and Im excited to reinforce the companys position as a leader in space exploration.
  • His roles included being the Acting Deputy Associate Administrator of Exploration in NASAs Science Mission Directorate and, before that, the Chief Exploration Scientist in NASAs Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate.
  • Neither Intuitive Machines nor Inflection Point gives any assurance that either Intuitive Machines or Inflection Point, respectively, will achieve its expectations.

Worldwide Space Lander and Rover Industry to 2030 - North America Continues to Dominate The Market - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, December 21, 2021

For instance, China's first fully homegrown Mars mission, Tianwen-1, carrying the probe, a combination orbiter, lander, and rover, reached Mars in February 2021.

Key Points: 
  • For instance, China's first fully homegrown Mars mission, Tianwen-1, carrying the probe, a combination orbiter, lander, and rover, reached Mars in February 2021.
  • Following this, in May 2021, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed that the spacecraft carrying the rover has touched down on the planet.
  • Such missions are expected to drive the market for space landers and rovers during the forecast period.
  • The market is expected to be dominated by North America, due to the growing investments by NASA.

Intuitive Machines Chooses Tempo Automation to Return the U.S. to the Moon’s Surface for the First Time in 50 Years

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Specifically, circuit boards built at Tempo will be integrated into Intuitive Machines moon lander engine for a mission planned for Q1 2022 .

Key Points: 
  • Specifically, circuit boards built at Tempo will be integrated into Intuitive Machines moon lander engine for a mission planned for Q1 2022 .
  • "We're extremely proud that our customers, like Intuitive Machines, build amazing things at Tempo that have never been manufactured before," said Joy Weiss, president and CEO of Tempo Automation.
  • Tempo Automation is the leading software-accelerated electronics manufacturer, revolutionizing the way top companies innovate and bring new products to market.
  • As the premier provider of space services and technologies, Intuitive Machines is reestablishing the United States' dominance on the ultimate high ground, the Moon.

Moon Mark and Lunar Outpost Announce Partnership for Racers to Land on the Moon in 2021

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Lunar Outpost will adapt its patented Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP), created for extraterrestrial scientific missions, for racing mobility.

Key Points: 
  • Lunar Outpost will adapt its patented Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP), created for extraterrestrial scientific missions, for racing mobility.
  • "We could not be more pleased to partner with Lunar Outpost, the industry's leader in aerospace mobility," said Mary Hagy, Moon Mark's Founder and CEO.
  • In 2021, Houston-based aerospace company, Intuitive Machines will launch their Nova-C Lunar Lander carrying racers uniquely designed by Lunar Outpost for our space race.
  • https://moonmark.space
    Founded in 2017, Lunar Outpost creates technologies that enable a sustainable presence on the lunar surface through the use of robotics and advanced instrumentation.