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<\/figure>NASA is gearing up for a commercial robotic flight to the Moon under the agency\u2019s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services)<\/a> initiative and Artemis campaign. Intuitive Machines will launch its Nova-C lander on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than Wednesday, Feb. 14, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission will carry six NASA payloads targeted for the South Polar region.<\/p>\n The group of NASA instruments aboard IM-1 will conduct scientific research and demonstrate technologies to help us better understand the Moon\u2019s environment and improve landing precision and safety in the challenging conditions of the lunar south polar region, paving the way for future Artemis astronaut missions. The payloads will collect data on how the plume of engine gasses interacts with the Moon\u2019s surface and kicks up lunar dust, investigate radio astronomy and space weather interactions with the lunar surface, test precision landing technologies, and measure the quantity of liquid propellant in Nova-C propellant tanks in the zero gravity of space. The Nova-C lander will also carry a retroreflector array that will contribute to a network of location markers on the Moon that will be used as a position marker for decades to come<\/p>\n The Nova-C lander is targeted to land Thursday, Feb. 22, in a relatively flat and safe area near the Malapert A crater, in the south polar region of the Moon.<\/p>\n The six NASA payloads<\/a> aboard Intuitive Machines\u2019 IM-1 mission include:<\/p>\n Intuitive Machines is one of 14 vendors eligible to carry NASA payloads to the Moon through the agency\u2019s CLPS initiative, which began in 2018. CLPS is an innovative approach connecting NASA with commercial solutions from American companies to deliver scientific, exploration, and technology payloads to the Moon\u2019s surface and into lunar orbit. Through CLPS, NASA aims to gain new insights into the lunar environment and expand the lunar economy to support future crewed missions under the Artemis<\/a> campaign.<\/p>\n Learn more about NASA\u2019s CLPS initiative at:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/clps\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n
<\/strong>A small, CubeSat-sized flight hardware experiment that integrates navigation and communication functionality for autonomous navigation to support future surface and orbital operations. Principal investigator: Dr. Evan Anzalone, NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
A collection of eight retroreflectors that enable precision laser ranging, which is a measurement of the distance between an orbiting or landing spacecraft to the reflector on the lander. LRA is a passive optical instrument and will function as a permanent location marker on the Moon for decades to come.
Principal investigator: Dr. Xiaoli Sun, NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
A Lidar-based (Light Detection and Ranging) descent and landing sensor. This instrument operates on the same principles of radar but uses pulses from a laser emitted through three optical telescopes. NDL will measure vehicle velocity (speed and direction) and altitude (distance to surface) with high precision during descent to touchdown. Principal investigator: Dr. Farzin Amzajerdian, NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
A rocket propellant gauge used to measure the amount of spacecraft propellant in a low-gravity space environment. Using sensor technology, RFMG will measure the amount, or mass, of cryogenic propellants in Nova-C\u2019s tanks, providing data that can help predict propellant usage on future missions. Principal investigator: Dr. Greg Zimmerli, NASA\u2019s Glenn Research Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Four antennas and a low-frequency radio receiver system designed to study the dynamic radio energy environment near the lunar surface and determine how natural and human-generated activity near the surface interacts with science investigations. It will also detect radio emissions from the Sun, Jupiter, and Earth, as well as dust impacting the surface of the Moon. Principal investigator: Dr. Nat Gopalswamy, NASA Goddard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
A suite of four cameras to capture stereo and still images of the dust plume created by the lander\u2019s engine as it begins its descent to the lunar surface until after the engine shuts off. Principal investigator: Michelle Munk, NASA Langley<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nDiscover More Topics From NASA<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n