A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on February 15, 2024, as part of the Intuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander mission.
©AFP
The “Nova-C” lander from Intuition Engines began its journey towards the Moon on Thursday. Launched from Cape Canaveral Spaceport
After several failures in the past, the American company Intuitive Machines has now sent the “Nova-C” lander to the moon. Launched on Thursday, February 15, 2024 at 1:05 am EST (06:05 am GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida on a “Falcon 9” rocket from Elon Musk's company SpaceX. The mission was broadcast live by NASA.
Technical challenges and delays
Originally scheduled for Wednesday, it was postponed by a day due to technical issues. In particular, deviations in the temperature of the methane fuel led to this conclusion. Despite the delay, the moon landing is on target on February 22.
It is expected to land near the moon's south pole on February 22.
©AFP
Historical significance and goals
The attempt would mark the first successful U.S. moon landing and the first commercial landing since the Apollo missions five decades earlier. The “Nova-C” lander, also known as “Odysseus”, is part of NASA's “CLPS” program, which aims to partner with private companies to conduct cost-effective lunar landings, paving the way for future manned missions.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Pad LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center on February 15, 2024 in Cape Canaveral, Florida with Intuitive Engines' Nova-C lunar lander mission.
©AFP
Technical specifications of the lander
About the size of an old-fashioned British telephone booth with aluminum legs, the “Nova-C” weighs about 700 kilograms and can carry about 130 kilograms of cargo. Most of this inventory consists of NASA research equipment, while the rest is used by commercial companies for various projects.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on February 15, 2024, as part of the Intuitive Machines Nova-C lunar lander mission.
©AFP
Challenges of landing on the moon
The moon landing is one of the most technically demanding endeavors in space travel, with a high failure rate. This year already two missions did not go as planned. However, intuitive engines believe that “Nova-C” can set a new milestone in the history of space travel.
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