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Intuitive Machines Nova-C
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Intuitive Machines Nova-C
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.
The IM-1 lunar lander, named Odysseus (pronounced /əˈdɪsiəs/ ə-DISS-ee-əs), was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 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. 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 Athena mission with Micro-Nova Gracie and other rovers and payloads was launched on 27 February 2025, and a third Nova-C lander on the IM-3 mission is scheduled for no earlier than October 2025. SpaceX is under contract to provide Falcon 9 launches for each of the three landers.
In 2017, Space Policy Directive 1 signaled the intention of returning NASA astronauts to the Moon. NASA documents obtained by The New York Times suggested the agency would involve the private spaceflight sector in the effort. In 2018, NASA solicited bids from nine companies, including Intuitive Machines, for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. 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.
In 2021, Intuitive Machines received a NASA contract that was initially valued at US$77 million to conduct lunar landings for NASA. After contract modifications, the total contract value came to US$118 million in 2024.
The lander structure is a hexagonal cylinder with six landing legs and is 3.938 m (12.92 ft) tall. It has a launch mass of 1,908 kg (4,206 lb) and can hold a payload of 100 kg (220 lb).
Nova-C was developed by Intuitive Machines, inheriting technology from NASA's Project Morpheus. Its gimbaled VR900 main engine uses methane and oxygen as liquid propellants. Pressurized by helium gas, the engine produces 3,100 N (700 lbf) of thrust. For attitude control the vehicle uses a helium reaction control system (RCS). Each thruster in the RCS produces 4.45 N (1 lbf) of thrust. At launch Nova-C is filled with 845 kg (1,863 lb) of liquid oxygen, 422 kg (930 lb) kg of liquid methane and 17 kg (37 lb) of gaseous helium.
Propellant is loaded onto Nova-C at the launch pad alongside propellant loading of the launch vehicle. Use of liquid methane and liquid oxygen is believed to be an enabling technology for future deep space missions. Propellants aboard the lander were stored in composite over-wrap liner-less cryogenic tanks. Thermodynamic venting systems provide cryogenic cooling.
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Intuitive Machines Nova-C
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.
The IM-1 lunar lander, named Odysseus (pronounced /əˈdɪsiəs/ ə-DISS-ee-əs), was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 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. 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 Athena mission with Micro-Nova Gracie and other rovers and payloads was launched on 27 February 2025, and a third Nova-C lander on the IM-3 mission is scheduled for no earlier than October 2025. SpaceX is under contract to provide Falcon 9 launches for each of the three landers.
In 2017, Space Policy Directive 1 signaled the intention of returning NASA astronauts to the Moon. NASA documents obtained by The New York Times suggested the agency would involve the private spaceflight sector in the effort. In 2018, NASA solicited bids from nine companies, including Intuitive Machines, for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. 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.
In 2021, Intuitive Machines received a NASA contract that was initially valued at US$77 million to conduct lunar landings for NASA. After contract modifications, the total contract value came to US$118 million in 2024.
The lander structure is a hexagonal cylinder with six landing legs and is 3.938 m (12.92 ft) tall. It has a launch mass of 1,908 kg (4,206 lb) and can hold a payload of 100 kg (220 lb).
Nova-C was developed by Intuitive Machines, inheriting technology from NASA's Project Morpheus. Its gimbaled VR900 main engine uses methane and oxygen as liquid propellants. Pressurized by helium gas, the engine produces 3,100 N (700 lbf) of thrust. For attitude control the vehicle uses a helium reaction control system (RCS). Each thruster in the RCS produces 4.45 N (1 lbf) of thrust. At launch Nova-C is filled with 845 kg (1,863 lb) of liquid oxygen, 422 kg (930 lb) kg of liquid methane and 17 kg (37 lb) of gaseous helium.
Propellant is loaded onto Nova-C at the launch pad alongside propellant loading of the launch vehicle. Use of liquid methane and liquid oxygen is believed to be an enabling technology for future deep space missions. Propellants aboard the lander were stored in composite over-wrap liner-less cryogenic tanks. Thermodynamic venting systems provide cryogenic cooling.
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