Houston-based space startup Intuitive Machines has postponed the maiden launch of its truck-sized lunar lander to mid-January 2024.
The company has set an ambitious target to achieve a landing near the lunar south pole.
Previously, the IM-1 mission launch was planned for November, with a six-day launch window starting on November 16.
According to the latest company statement, the lunar lander will now be launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket during a "multi-day" launch window that begins on January 12.
The mission launch will take place from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
“There are inherent challenges of lunar missions; schedule changes and mission adjustments are a natural consequence of pioneering lunar exploration,” said Steve Altemus, chief executive officer of Intuitive Machines in a statement.
Altemus further added: “Receiving a launch window and the required approvals to fly is a remarkable achievement, and the schedule adjustment is a small price to pay for making history.”
Launch delay reason
In September of this year, the company successfully finalized the development and testing of its lunar lander, known as Nova-C.
It has been reported that the company has not provided specific reasons for the launch delay.
During a media briefing on October 3, however, the company executives did mention concerns about "pad congestion" at LC-39A, which could potentially impact their launch schedule.
The mission is required to lift off from this pad as it is equipped to perform the essential task of fueling the lander with methane and liquid oxygen propellants just before launch.
“In case of unfavorable launch conditions, such as poor weather, backup opportunities will be determined based on the lunar blackout window and other factors,” mentioned the release.
NASA payloads onboard lander
The lunar lander has an estimated weight of 675 kilograms. It is shaped like a hexagonal cylinder with six landing legs that stand about 13 feet (4 meters) tall and 5 feet (1.6 meters) wide.
The Nova-C lander will deliver five payloads as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) effort. A laser retro-reflector array, navigation Doppler lidar, stereo cameras specialized to lunar plume surface research, and a navigation demonstration aimed to assist autonomous spacecraft positioning are among the NASA payloads.
“The science and technology payloads sent to the Moon’s surface as part of CLPS intend to lay the foundation for human missions and a sustainable human presence on the lunar surface,” noted the release.
Furthermore, the Nova-C will include an advanced camera that will detach during the lander's final descent to take photographs as it sets down on the lunar surface.
The IM-1 mission aims to touch down in the vicinity of Malapert A, a crater situated near the tricky terrain of the south-polar region.
The spacecraft's operations are scheduled to last roughly two weeks, ending as the lander loses power after the completion of a lunar day.
Nova-C will play the role of a scout for the Artemis 3 crewed landing, which would place humans on the Moon's south pole by 2025.
Private companies are competing to be the first to successfully land on the Moon.
Another firm, Astrobotic, is reportedly in the race and plans to launch its lander on December 24 onboard the debut flight of United Launch Alliance's (ULA) new Vulcan Centaur rocket.
Both missions are essential parts of NASA's CLPS endeavor, which is a subset of the larger Artemis program.
In 2019, Israel attempted but did not achieve success in landing the first-ever privately funded mission, named Beresheet, on the Moon. In 2022, Japan's ispace faced a setback with its private Hakuto-R landing mission.
Russia’s space agency was also unable to carry out its planned moon landing in August 2023, whereas the Indian Space Research Organisation had a remarkable success with Chandrayaan-3 a few weeks later.
Originally published on Interesting Engineering : Original article