WASHINGTON, Jan. 23,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of NASA's CLPS
(Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis
campaign, media accreditation is open for Intuitive Machines' first
robotic flight to the Moon's surface. The robotic deliveries will
transport agency science and technology demonstrations to the Moon
for the benefit of all.
The Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander carrying NASA science and
commercial payloads will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Liftoff is targeted for a multi-day launch window, which opens no
earlier than mid-February, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in
Florida.
Among the NASA items on its lander, the Intuitive Machines
mission will carry instruments focusing on plume-surface
interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio
astronomy, precision landing technologies, and a communication and
navigation node for future autonomous navigation technologies. A
successful landing will help support the CLPS model for commercial
payload deliveries to the lunar surface. As the anchor customer of
CLPS, NASA is investing in lower-cost methods of Moon deliveries
and aims to be one of many customers.
Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at NASA
Kennedy. Media who are U.S. citizens interested in attending in
person must apply for credentials no later than 12 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 29, by emailing
media@spacex.com.
In May 2019, NASA awarded a task
order for the delivery to Intuitive Machines. Through Artemis,
commercial robotic deliveries will perform science experiments,
test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA
explore the Moon in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut
missions to the lunar surface, in preparation for future missions
to Mars.
NASA is working with several U.S. companies to deliver science
and technology to the lunar surface through the agency's CLPS
initiative. This pool of companies may bid on delivery task orders.
A task order award includes payload integration and operations, as
well as launching from Earth and landing on the surface of the
Moon. NASA's CLPS contracts are
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative
maximum contract value of $2.6
billion through 2028.
For more information about the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload
Services initiative, see:
https://www.nasa.gov/clps
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SOURCE NASA
