Produced by: Tarun Mishra
The private American space company, Intuitive Machines is gearing up to launch its Nova-C lander to the Moon's south pole region, aiming for a site near India's Chandrayaan-3 historic landing.
The upcoming mission, known as IM-1, plans to deliver a suite of payloads to the largely uncharted lunar surface, specifically targeting a soft landing at Malapert A crater.
Malapert A, situated near the larger Malapert crater, serves as the landing site. Named after Charles Malapert, it features lunar highland material akin to that found at the Apollo 16 landing site.
The Nova-C lander is set to touchdown approximately 300 kilometers from the Moon's south pole, with the nearby Malapert Massif indicating the region's strategic importance.
The selection of this site reflects a strategic interest in exploring and understanding the Moon's polar resources, including potential water ice deposits.
The landing site is nearly 1500 kilometers away from Chandrayaan-3's landing point, known as Shiva Shakti Point.
The primary objective of the IM-1 mission is to conduct scientific studies and demonstrate advanced technologies, including precision landing capabilities and communication nodes crucial for future lunar exploration.
The Nova-C lander will carry five NASA payloads along with additional commercial cargo, contributing valuable data to our understanding of the Moon.