In a major boost to lunar exploration, Intuitive Machines has secured a $116.9 million contract from NASA to deliver six scientific instruments to the Moon's south pole in 2027. This Houston-based company, already famous for its historic private lunar landing earlier this year, is set to play a key role in NASA’s ambitious lunar missions.

A New Mission to the Moon

NASA’s latest contract with Intuitive Machines will facilitate the delivery of six agency science instruments to the moon’s south pole. This mission, set for 2027, builds on the company's successful lunar landing earlier this year, where their lander, Odysseus, operated for seven Earth days. The new mission will contribute to NASA’s broader lunar exploration efforts, particularly those under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.

“The instruments on this newly awarded flight will help us achieve multiple scientific objectives and strengthen our understanding of the moon’s environment,” said Chris Culbert, manager of the CLPS program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Culbert highlighted the mission’s importance in exploring volatiles like water, ice, and gas on the lunar surface, as well as measuring radiation in the South Pole region, which could be pivotal for future lunar and Martian exploration.

A Growing Lunar Presence

Intuitive Machines is steadily expanding its lunar exploration activities. The company is currently preparing for its second moon mission, IM-2, scheduled for launch later this year aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Like its predecessor, IM-2 will target the moon’s south pole, carrying a NASA payload, PRIME-1, designed to search for water ice—a resource believed to be plentiful in that area.

Next year, the company plans to launch the IM-3 mission, further cementing its role as a key player in lunar exploration. The newly secured contract will support Intuitive Machines’ fourth lunar mission, all under the guidance and support of NASA’s CLPS initiative. This programme is crucial for gathering extensive moon data ahead of NASA's Artemis programme, which aims to land astronauts on the moon later this decade.

Cutting-Edge Science for Lunar Exploration

The 2027 mission will carry six innovative scientific instruments, weighing a total of 174 pounds (79 kilograms). These tools are designed to enhance our understanding of the moon’s environment and potential resources. Here’s a brief overview of what each instrument will do:

• Lunar Explorer Instrument for Space Biology Applications: Managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, this instrument will deliver yeast to the lunar surface to study how it responds to radiation and lunar gravity, providing insights into the effects of the lunar environment on biological organisms.


• Package for Resource Observation and In-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Characterization and Testing (PROSPECT): Led by the European Space Agency (ESA), this suite of instruments will drill down 3.3 feet beneath the lunar surface to extract samples and analyse them in a miniaturised laboratory, searching for volatiles like water, ice, and gas.


• Laser Retroreflector Array: A passive optical instrument managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, this array of eight retroreflectors will enable precise measurements between a spacecraft and the lunar lander, serving as a permanent location marker on the moon for decades.


• Surface Exosphere Alterations by Landers (SEAL): Also managed by NASA Goddard, SEAL will study the chemical reactions of lunar soil to the disturbances caused by a spacecraft landing, offering valuable information on how landings might affect future sample collection.
  Fluxgate Magnetometer: This instrument, managed by NASA Goddard, will characterise magnetic fields on the lunar surface, improving our understanding of energy and particle pathways on the moon.


• Lunar Compact Infrared Imaging System: Managed by the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, this system will use a radiometer to explore the moon’s surface composition and map temperature distributions, aiding in future lunar resource utilisation.

A Bright Future for Lunar Exploration

As Intuitive Machines continues to push the boundaries of lunar exploration, this new mission represents another step forward in humanity’s quest to understand and utilise the moon's resources. With each mission, the company is not only helping NASA achieve its scientific objectives but also laying the groundwork for future manned missions to the moon and beyond.