NASA is continuing its mission to establish a long-term presence on the Moon by sending revolutionary technologies aboard Intuitive Machines’ second lunar delivery as part of the CLPS initiative and Artemis campaign. Scheduled to launch on February 26th, NASA will test new technologies to explore the lunar surface, improve communication, and learn more about what lies beneath.
The landing site for Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C class lunar lander will be Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole region. Here, NASA will deploy a drill and mass spectrometer to look for ice and other resources beneath the surface, a new cellular communication network developed by Nokia, and a small drone named Grace to survey difficult terrain. The data collected will be made available to the public post-mission to accelerate the development of new technologies.
Additionally, NASA will also test a Lunar Surface Communications System developed by Nokia and a small hopping drone named Grace. The mission is a collaboration between NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and industry partners to develop commercial space capabilities and benefit future NASA missions.
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is playing a key role in the mission by combining CLPS with NASA’s Tipping Point mechanism to maximize benefits for NASA, industry, and the nation. The agency is working with U.S. companies to deliver technology and science to the lunar surface, marking a step forward in NASA’s mission to establish a long-term presence on the Moon. Watch full mission updates on NASA+ and follow along on social media for the latest developments.
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