NASA NOVA-C Moon Lander Update: Teleconference and Launch
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| Image of the Nova-C lander on the moon's surface |
*NASA's Nova-C lander, developed by Intuitive Machines, is set to launch on February 14th on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The lander will carry payloads for NASA and other customers, including science and technology instruments focusing on plume-surface interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and a communication and navigation node for future autonomous navigation technologies.*
*On February 12th, NASA held a science media teleconference to discuss the mission and the payloads on board. The teleconference included participants from NASA's Johnson Space Center, Langley Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Glenn Research Center.*
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| Nova-C lander and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocke |
*The launch is scheduled for February 14th at 12:57 a.m. EST from NASA's Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA will provide live launch coverage on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency's website. The lander is expected to touch down on the moon's surface on February 22nd.*
*This mission is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and the Artemis campaign, which aims to land astronauts near the moon's south pole in 2026. The success of this mission will help NASA prepare for future crewed moon missions.*
*We wish the Nova-C lander a successful mission and hope it will provide valuable insights into the moon's surface and help pave the way for future space exploration.*
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When is the Nova-C lunar lander expected to land on the Moon? | The Nova-C lunar lander is expected to land on the Moon on Thursday, February 22, 2024 2 |
| What payloads will the Nova-C lander carry for NASA and other customers? | The Nova-C lander will carry NASA science and technology instruments focusing on plume-surface interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and a communication and navigation node for future autonomous navigation technologies 2 |
| What prelaunch events and teleconferences are scheduled for the Nova-C mission? | NASA has scheduled prelaunch events, including a lunar science media teleconference and a lunar delivery readiness media teleconference, to discuss the payloads and confirm readiness for launch. These events will highlight the NASA payloads flying on Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander to the Moon as part of the agency's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign 4 |
Citations:
[1] https://youtube.com/watch?v=TAURyf9ziVI
[2] https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-spacex-intuitive-machines-first-moon-mission/
[3] https://twitter.com/NASA
[4] https://www.clickorlando.com/news/space-news/2024/02/12/next-commercial-moon-mission-set-to-launch-wednesday-from-floridas-space-coast/
[5] https://www.space.com/spacex-intuitive-machines-im-1-moon-lander-launch-livestreams
