
The Houston-based aerospace firm Intuitive Machines has chosen a SpaceX Rocket set to launch a moon delivery mission planned for 2027.
The forthcoming "IM-4" mission plans to utilize a Falcon 9 rocket for liftoff from Florida. This launch aims to transport six NASA payloads, featuring a drilling equipment suite led by the European Space Agency aimed at finding water near the moon's southern polar region. Additionally, the mission will deploy two lunar data relay satellites supporting NASA’sNear Space Network Services.
The news comes only a few weeks following an underwhelming mission by Intuitive Machines. At the end of February, the firm sent a spaceship named Athena to the moon with plans to stay approximately one week searching for water ice beneath the lunar surface. Nonetheless, the spacecraft tipped over within a crater instead of reaching the planned touchdown point on the mountain. The failed landing occurred just as another Texan firm, Firefly Aerospace, was celebrating its Blue Ghost spacecraft being the initial privately-funded lunar lander to achieve this fully successful moon mission , recording essential information alongside images and videos of it lunar eclipse And a sunset as seen from the Moon's surface.
Nevertheless, Steve Altemus, who leads Intuitive Machines, remains optimistic regarding upcoming missions.
Delivering assets to the lunar surface and maintaining communication through data relay satellites are key elements of our plan to make moon exploration profitable," explained Altemus. "Beyond the agreed-upon services from Near Space Network Services, these satellites can also accommodate extra instruments and scientific sensors for both commercial entities and other governmental clients.
Intuitive Machines intends to launch the initial one among five lunar data relay satellites during its third mission, with intentions to expand this service in subsequent missions aiming to ultimately "entirely support both NASA and commercial activities on the moon," as Altemus further explained.
The Houston company has Previously collaborated with SpaceX In 2024 and 2025, both of its landers will be launched by Elon Musk's company. Apart from its collaboration with Intuitive Machines, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket gained attention last year due to a malfunction. suspended from flying by the Federal Aviation Administration Three times. Besides this rocket, SpaceX's Starship has also faced doubt. explosions earlier this year .
Nevertheless, Intuitive Machines expressed enthusiasm about its upcoming projects, noting that NASA has granted them multiple task orders requesting the firm to assist with services that enable spacecraft to transmit data straight to ground stations on Earth and data relay for support NASA’s Artemis campaign .