Intuitive Machines Nova-C

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This article is about a class of lunar landers. For a series of NASA rocket designs, see Nova (rocket).

Nova-C lunar lander
Artistic rendering of an upright Nova-C Class lander on the Moon
ManufacturerIntuitive Machines
DesignerIntuitive Machines
Country of originUnited States
OperatorIntuitive Machines
ApplicationsLunar payloads delivery and support
Specifications
Spacecraft typeLunar lander
BusNova-C Bus
Launch mass1,900 kg (4,200 lb) [1]
Payload capacity100 kg (220 lb) [2]
Power200 W (0.27 hp)[2]
Design lifeAfter landing, 14 Earth days max.
Dimensions
Length3 m (9.8 ft) [3]
Diameter2 m (6 ft 7 in) [3]
Production
StatusIn production (and operational)
On order2
Built1
Launched1
Operational1
Maiden launch01:05 a.m. EST, 15 February 2024[4]
Related spacecraft
Derived fromProject Morpheus[2]
Flown withFalcon 9 Block 5

The Intuitive Machines Nova-C, or simply Nova-C, is a class of lunar landers designed by Intuitive Machines (IM) to deliver small payloads to the surface of the Moon. Intuitive Machines was one of three service providers awarded task orders in 2019 for delivery of NASA science payloads to the Moon.[5] The IM-1 lunar lander, named Odysseus (pronounced /əˈdɪsiəs/ ə-DISS-ee-əs), was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9[6] rocket on 15 February 2024, reached lunar orbit on 21 February, and landed on the lunar surface on 22 February. This marked the inaugural Nova-C landing on the Moon and the first American spacecraft to perform a soft landing on the Moon in over 50 years.[7][8] It is the first spacecraft to use methalox propulsion to navigate between the Earth and the Moon.

The second Nova-C lander with the IM-2 mission is scheduled to launch no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2024, and a third Nova-C lander on the IM-3 mission is scheduled for early 2025.[9] SpaceX is under contract to provide Falcon 9 launches for each of the three landers.[10][11][12][13][14]

Funding[edit]

In 2017, Space Policy Directive 1 signaled the intention of returning NASA astronauts to the Moon.[15] NASA documents obtained by The New York Times suggested the agency would involve the private spaceflight sector in the effort.[16] In 2018, NASA solicited bids from nine companies, including Intuitive Machines, for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.[17] CLPS is part of the NASA Artemis program; one of the long term goals of Artemis is establishing a permanent crewed base on the Moon. Intuitive Machines was one of three service providers awarded task orders in 2019 for delivery of NASA science payloads to the Moon.[5]

In 2021, Intuitive Machines received a NASA contract that was initially valued at US$77 million to conduct lunar landings for NASA.[18] After contract modifications, the total contract value came to US$118 million in 2024.[19]

Overview[edit]

Propulsion[edit]

Nova-C Class lander model on display

The Nova-C design was developed by Intuitive Machines, inheriting technology from NASA's Project Morpheus. Its pressure-fed VR900 main engine uses methane and oxygen as liquid propellants, pressurized by helium gas, to produce 4,000 N (900 lbf) of thrust.[20] For attitude[a] control the vehicle uses a helium reaction control system.[21] At launch Nova-C is filled with 839 kg (1,850 lb) of liquid oxygen, 420 kg (930 lb) kg of liquid methane and 17 kg (37 lb) of gaseous helium.[22] [23] Propellant is loaded onto Nova-C at the launch pad alongside propellant loading of the launch vehicle.[24] Use of liquid methane and liquid oxygen is believed to be an enabling technology for future deep space missions.

Electric power[edit]

Nova-C landers use solar panels as a source of electrical power. Most areas of the lunar surface are sunlit during lunar days, which last approximately fourteen Earth days.

Electrical power is generated by a photovoltaic system with three solar panels, a top deck panel and two body panels, generating a combined maximum of 788 W. Lithium-ion batteries store the power and supply it to the spacecraft when generation does not match consumption.[22]

Structure[edit]

The lander structure is a hexagonal cylinder with six landing legs and is 3.938 m (12.92 ft) tall. It includes solar panels that can generate 200 W of electrical power on the lunar surface.[25]

Guidance, navigation and control[edit]

The lander includes autonomous landing and hazard detection technology and once landed is still capable of relocating itself to a second landing site by performing a vertical takeoff, cruise, and vertical landing.[2][1] Nova-C is capable of 24/7 data coverage for its client payloads, and can hold a payload of 100 kg (220 lb).[2]

Missions[edit]

Odysseus in preparation for launch

Intuitive Machines is conducting the first three Nova-C missions for the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.[18] The landers are tasked with delivering small science and technology-development payloads.[26]

IM-1 mission[edit]

Main article: IM-1

The first Nova-C mission, IM-1, uses a lander named Odysseus.[27][28] A contract for the mission was signed in 2021, with later modifications.[19] The mission launched 15 February 2024 on a Falcon 9 launch vehicle and landed on the lunar surface with a "rough" - soft landing on 21 February 2024 at 6:24 p.m. EST in the South Pole region of the moon within approximately 1.5 km of the Malapert A crater.[7][29][30][31][32] Odysseus's "rough" - soft Moon landing is the first soft landing of any kind for an American made spacecraft since Apollo 17, more than 50 years ago, and the first by a private company.[33][34]

The lunar landing was not an ideal "soft landing," as during the touchdown process the Odysseus lander unfortunately landed on its side, however after landing it was found that the lander remained in radio contact with the IM Mission controllers. Based on the transmissions that IM was able to receive from the lander, it was determined that the lander was still "in good health." Due to the fact that the antennas were not vertically aligned as had initially been planned, transmissions from the lander have been somewhat reduced.[35] Odysseus touched down on the Moon in the middle of a lunar day, and is expected to remain functional for approximately six Earth days (until February 27), when the cold lunar night will set in and the solar panels will no longer be able to supply power.[36][32]

IM-2 mission[edit]

IM was selected in October 2020 in order to land its second Nova-C lander near the lunar south pole. As of February 2024, IM-2 is expected to be launched no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2024.[9] The primary payload, PRIME-1, includes the TRIDENT ice drill to sample ice from below the lunar surface and the MSolo mass spectrometer to measure the amount of ice in the samples.[37][38]

ILO-1 prime contractor Canadensys is working to deliver "a flight-ready low-cost optical payload for the ILO-1 mission, ruggedized for the Moon South Pole environment". It could potentially be ready for integration on the IM-2 mission.[39]

The µNova (Micro Nova) Hopper will separate from the Nova-C lander after landing and function as a standalone hopper lander, exploring multiple difficult-to-reach areas such as deep craters on the lunar surface.[40][41]

A lunar communications satellite will be deployed on this mission to facilitate communications between the lander and ground stations on Earth.[41]

Spaceflight will deliver rideshare payloads on this mission aboard its Sherpa EScape (Sherpa-ES) space tug called Geo Pathfinder.[42][43]

The MiniPIX TPX3 SPACE payload, provided by the Czech company ADVACAM, will be onboard the Nova-C lunar lander. This payload is designed to monitor the radiation field on the Moon and help understand how to protect crew and equipment from the negative effects of cosmic rays. This marks the first Czech payload planned to be delivered to the Moon's surface.[44][45]

IM-3 mission[edit]

In August 2021, IM selected SpaceX to launch its third lunar mission IM-3, at some point in 2024.[12] As of February 2024, the launch of IM-3 is expected to take place in early 2025.[9] It will deliver payloads to the Reiner Gamma lunar swirl for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.[46][47] There the lander will conduct experiments investigating the properties of the unexpected magnetic field that has been detected in the vicinity of the Reiner Gamma swirl.[48]

Further Nova-C missions[edit]

The Nova-C lander was designed to be compatible with methane and oxygen fuel sources that are believed to be available on both the Moon and on Mars. For future missions, methane and oxygen could potentially be "harvested" wherever the Nova-C lander may be based using In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) (off-world resource processing technologies).[49][50] The Nova-C lander technology platform can be scaled up to mid and large lander classes, capable of accommodating larger payloads.[26]

Successors[edit]

Nova-D[edit]

In an interview with NASA recorded in October 2023, Tim Crain, CTO of Intuitive Machines, mentioned the possible development of a Nova-D lander.[51] Early reports of the in-development Nova-D state that it will use two of the VR-900 engines and be capable of carrying more than 500 kg to the lunar surface.[52]

Nova-M[edit]

Intuitive Machines is developing another lander, the Nova-M which, according to early reports, will use two VR-3500 engines originally developed for Boeing and their HLS to carry 5,000 kg to the lunar surface.[52]

See also[edit]

Other commercial lunar lander programs
Lunar lander programs by country

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ attitude here refers to orientation of the spacecraft

References[edit]

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