NASA to Discuss Science, First Intuitive Machines Artemis Moon Flight

NASA will host a media teleconference at 3:30 p.m. EST Wednesday, Jan. 31, to discuss its science and technology demonstrations flying aboard Intuitive Machines’ first flight to the Moon as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. 

Audio of the CLPS science call will livestream on the agency’s website at:

https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

Briefing participants include:

• Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
• Debra Needham, program scientist, Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office, NASA Headquarters
• Chris Culbert, program manager, CLPS, NASA Johnson Space Center
• Trent Martin, vice president, Space Systems, Intuitive Machines

To participate, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the briefing by emailing  ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

The Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and carry NASA robotic science and other commercial payloads to the Moon. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket 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 items on its lander, this first Intuitive Machines mission will carry NASA science instruments focusing on plume-surface interactions, space weather and lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and a communication and navigation node for future autonomous navigation technologies.

In May 2019, the agency awarded a task order for scientific payload 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 CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on 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 CLPS updates including launch follow:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis

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Alise Fisher
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2546
alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov

Nilufar Ramji
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov

Antonia Jaramillo
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-501-8425
antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov