CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Two private companies, Astrobotic Technology and Intuitive Machines, are preparing for the first U.S. moon landings since the Apollo missions more than five decades ago. The ventures are part of a NASA-supported initiative to jumpstart commercial moon deliveries and are seen as precursors to NASA’s plans to send astronauts back to the lunar surface.
China and India have successfully landed on the moon, while Russia, Japan, and Israel faced setbacks in their attempts. The new contenders, Astrobotic Technology based in Pittsburgh, and Intuitive Machines from Houston, are racing to put the U.S. back in the lunar exploration game.
Astrobotic Technology is scheduled for the first liftoff on Monday, with a lander set to launch aboard United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket. Following closely, Intuitive Machines plans a mid-February liftoff, hitching a ride with SpaceX. The missions are part of NASA’s strategy to foster commercial involvement in lunar exploration.
“They’re scouts going to the moon ahead of us,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, emphasizing the importance of these private initiatives.
Japan is also set to make its attempt in two weeks, with its lander equipped with toy-size rovers. If successful, Japan will become the fifth country to achieve a lunar landing.
The challenges of landing on the moon are significant, with the absence of a substantial atmosphere making traditional landing methods impossible. Instead, landers must rely on thrusters to navigate treacherous terrain, avoiding cliffs and craters.
The last U.S. moon landing occurred in December 1972, with Apollo 17, and since then, the focus shifted to Mars exploration. Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines not only aim to end America’s moon-landing drought but also compete for the title of the first private entity to achieve a successful lunar landing.
Despite a later start, Intuitive Machines has a faster and more direct trajectory, aiming to land within a week of liftoff. Astrobotic, on the other hand, will take two weeks to reach the moon and an additional month in lunar orbit before attempting a landing on February 23.
Both companies received nearly $80 million each in 2019 under a NASA program to develop lunar delivery services. Fourteen companies, including Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, are currently under contract with NASA for lunar exploration efforts.
Astrobotic’s lander, named Peregrine, will carry 20 research packages for seven countries, including NASA, and a shoebox-sized rover for Carnegie Mellon University. Intuitive Machines’ lander, Nova-C, will target the moon’s south polar region, carrying five NASA experiments lasting about two weeks.
The south pole is of particular interest due to the belief that it holds vast amounts of frozen water, crucial for future exploration and potentially as a resource for drinking and making rocket fuel. NASA’s Artemis program aims to land the first humans in this region, potentially by 2027.
Both companies plan additional missions to the south pole in the future. Astrobotic will carry NASA’s water-seeking Viper rover, while Intuitive Machines will deliver an ice drill for NASA.
Despite the challenges, the space race among private entities is heating up, fueled not only by scientific curiosity but also geopolitical considerations. The successful missions could mark a significant milestone in the new era of lunar exploration.
