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IM-1

Updated: Wikipedia source

IM-1

IM-1 was a robotic Moon landing mission conducted by Intuitive Machines (IM) in February 2024 using a Nova-C lunar lander. After contact with the lunar surface on February 22 the lander tipped to an unplanned 30 degree angle. All instrument payloads remained functional and the mission was deemed a success. IM-1 was the first commercial mission to successfully soft-land on the Moon. NASA provided funding support for the mission through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. The lander, named Odysseus, carried six NASA-developed payloads and several others from commercial and educational customers. On February 29, Odysseus lost power and shut down with the start of the lunar night. IM-1 was the first soft lunar landing by a private company and Odysseus was the first American-made spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Steve Altemus, CEO of IM, says Nova-C is the first spacecraft to use liquid methane and liquid oxygen (methalox) propulsion beyond low-Earth orbit, and also the first methalox spacecraft to land on an off-world celestial body.

Infobox

Names
TO2-IMCLPS-2
Mission type
Lunar landing
Operator
Intuitive Machines
COSPAR ID
2024-030A
SATCAT no.
58963
Mission duration
14 days
Spacecraft
Odysseus
Spacecraft type
Nova-C
Manufacturer
Intuitive Machines
Launch mass
1,900 kg (4,200 lb)
Launch date
February 15, 2024, 06:05:37 (2024-02-15UTC06:05:37Z) UTC (1:05:37 am EST)
Rocket
Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1060‑18), Flight 299
Launch site
Kennedy, LC-39A
Declared
March 23, 2024 (2024-03-24)
Last contact
February 29, 2024 (2024-03-01)
Landing date
February 22, 2024, 23:23:53 UTC
Landing site
Malapert A (.mw- 80°08′S 1°26′E / 80.13°S 1.44°E / -80.13; 1.44)

Tables

· Mission hardware
Nova-C Odysseus
Nova-C Odysseus
Name
Nova-C Odysseus
Agency/Company
Intuitive Machines
Type
Lunar lander
Details
The Landing Component of the mission. It will also provide support to the equipment.
ILO-X
ILO-X
Name
ILO-X
Agency/Company
International Lunar Observatory
Type
Instrument
Details
Proof of concept wide and narrow field imagers
Laser Retro-Reflector Array
Laser Retro-Reflector Array
Name
Laser Retro-Reflector Array
Agency/Company
NASA
Type
Instrument
Details
A passive optical instrument with eight laser retroreflectors that spacecraft could use for precision determination of their distance to the reflectors. The array provides a permanent location marker on the Moon.
Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing
Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing
Name
Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing
Agency/Company
NASA
Type
Instrument
Details
Included as a technology demonstration payload, NDL was used operationally by Odysseus when the primary mission lidar was discovered to be inoperable.
Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator
Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator
Name
Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator
Agency/Company
NASA
Type
Instrument
Details
A CubeSat-sized experiment to demonstrate autonomous navigation that could be used by landers, rovers, surface infrastructure and astronauts to confirm their relative positions on the Moon.
Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies
Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies
Name
Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies
Agency/Company
NASA
Type
Instrument
Details
A suite of four cameras to capture imagery showing how the Moon's surface changes from interactions with the spacecraft's engine plume during and after descent.
Radiowave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES)
Radiowave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES)
Name
Radiowave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES)
Agency/Company
NASA / University of Colorado Boulder
Type
Instrument
Details
The instrument will observe the Moon's surface environment in radio frequencies, to determine how natural and human-generated activity near the surface interacts with and could interfere with science conducted there.
EagleCam
EagleCam
Name
EagleCam
Agency/Company
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
Type
CubeSat
Details
A Cubesat that was planned to record the landing after ejecting from IM-1 about 30 m before touchdown.
Moon Phases art cube
Moon Phases art cube
Name
Moon Phases art cube
Agency/Company
Pace Verso / 4Space / NFMoon
Type
Sculpture
Details
Passive payload blocked after lander tilted to the side hosting this payload, post landing.
Omni-Heat
Omni-Heat
Name
Omni-Heat
Agency/Company
Columbia Sportswear
Type
Space blanket
Independence
Independence
Name
Independence
Agency/Company
Lonestar
Type
Lunar data center test mission
Name
Agency/Company
Type
Details
Nova-C Odysseus
Intuitive Machines
Lunar lander
The Landing Component of the mission. It will also provide support to the equipment.
ILO-X
International Lunar Observatory
Instrument
Proof of concept wide and narrow field imagers
Laser Retro-Reflector Array
NASA
Instrument
A passive optical instrument with eight laser retroreflectors that spacecraft could use for precision determination of their distance to the reflectors. The array provides a permanent location marker on the Moon.
Navigation Doppler Lidar for Precise Velocity and Range Sensing
NASA
Instrument
Included as a technology demonstration payload, NDL was used operationally by Odysseus when the primary mission lidar was discovered to be inoperable.
Lunar Node 1 Navigation Demonstrator
NASA
Instrument
A CubeSat-sized experiment to demonstrate autonomous navigation that could be used by landers, rovers, surface infrastructure and astronauts to confirm their relative positions on the Moon.
Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies
NASA
Instrument
A suite of four cameras to capture imagery showing how the Moon's surface changes from interactions with the spacecraft's engine plume during and after descent.
Radiowave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath (ROLSES)
NASA / University of Colorado Boulder
Instrument
The instrument will observe the Moon's surface environment in radio frequencies, to determine how natural and human-generated activity near the surface interacts with and could interfere with science conducted there.
EagleCam
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
CubeSat
A Cubesat that was planned to record the landing after ejecting from IM-1 about 30 m before touchdown.
Moon Phases art cube
Pace Verso / 4Space / NFMoon
Sculpture
Passive payload blocked after lander tilted to the side hosting this payload, post landing.
Omni-Heat
Columbia Sportswear
Space blanket
Independence
Lonestar
Lunar data center test mission

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