In a remarkable leap toward commercial space travel, Intuitive Machines of Houston is gearing up for a moon mission.
The Wednesday launch of its spacecraft Odysseus could mark a groundbreaking event: the first U.S. lunar landing since Apollo’s last mission in 1972 and the first time a commercial spacecraft makes it to the moon.
Targeting a touchdown near the moon’s South Pole — an area rich with ice — NASA sees the mission as possibly propelling lunar exploration.
Alongside Intuitive Machines’ technological prowess, NASA has a vested interest with multiple onboard science experiments. The space agency is investing $118 million to utilize the company’s delivery service to the moon’s surface, a critical component of NASA‘s $2.6 billion initiative aimed at deploying a flotilla of robotic landers managed by the private sector over the coming years, bolstering its astronaut landing strategies.
The commercial space industry’s growing participation is noteworthy. NASA‘s paradigm shift to entrust private contractors with responsibilities extends beyond ferrying cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station. The agency is now channeling resources into developing moon landers, astronauts’ spacesuits and likely future habitats for Earth’s orbit — all through commercial partnerships.
Intuitive Machines’ anticipated landing could serve as a catalyst for commercial entities spearheading economic and scientific advances in space. “By advancing our capabilities to operate on the lunar surface, the mission sets the stage for more ambitious endeavors, including the establishment of lunar bases and the exploration of potential resources,” Intuitive Machines said in a statement.
The challenges of lunar landings are daunting, especially considering the propulsion system issues experienced by Astrobotic, another space prospect company. And while Japan recently joined the league of lunar explorers, its craft faced a snag, landing on its side.
NASA has also confronted hurdles in its moon program. Delays for Artemis II, which mirrors Apollo 8’s moon circling mission, have pushed the mission to 2025, as the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield needs further assessment. And the Artemis III astronaut mission is delayed until at least September 2026, owing to SpaceX Starship development slowdowns and challenges in spacesuit production by Axiom Space.
• Washington Times Staff can be reached at 202-636-3000.