Houston Company Aligns with NASA Artemis Objectives

Intuitive Machines, LLC—the Houston, Texas-based supplier of space products and services that support sustained robotic and human exploration to the Moon, Mars, and beyond—is collaborating with NASA to prioritize the accumulation and return of lunar scientific data in support of the space agency’s Artemis Program.

As part of the joint effort, Intuitive Machines will shift the landing site of its Nova-C lunar lander—the company’s first planned lunar endeavor—to the moon’s south pole region, where NASA intends to land astronauts during its 2024 or 2025 Artemis III mission.

Intuitive Machines president and CEO Steve Altemus stated: “Redirecting Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 mission landing site is a testament to our collective commitment to supporting NASA’s Artemis Program and advancing lunar exploration for the benefit of humanity. The Company is honored to accept the historic and scientific responsibility of bringing the United States to the lunar south pole region for the first time ever.”

Intuitive Machines is working closely with its investors, subcontractors, and other stakeholders to ensure the landing site change is planned and executed flawlessly. Nova-C’s landing date is currently scheduled for late June of 2023. The change is expected to positively impact Intuitive Machines’ backlog. More importantly, Intuitive Machines views the undertaking as a significant win for the Artemis Program.

NASA has identified numerous sites in the vicinity of the lunar south pole at which it may land its Artemis III mission. The geography and geology of the lunar south pole region hold the promise of unprecedented deep-space scientific discoveries—such as locating water ice on Earth’s moon. Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander would become the first spacecraft to land on the Moon’s South Pole Region.

FMI: www.intuitivemachines.com