The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has launched its latest science and technology experiments to the Moon, aiming to gather crucial data and advance lunar exploration.
As part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and Artemis campaign, Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday.
The lunar lander is expected to touch down on March 6 in Mons Mouton, a plateau near the Moon’s South Pole, paving the way for future astronaut missions beyond the Moon.
“With each CLPS mission, the United States is leading the way in expanding our reach and refining our capabilities, turning what was once dreams into reality,” said NASA acting administrator Janet Petro in a statement.
“These science and technology demonstrations are more than payloads – they represent the foundation for future explorers who will live and work on the Moon. By partnering with American industry, we are driving innovation, strengthening our leadership in space, and preparing for sending humans farther into the solar system, including Mars,” she added.
NASA’s CLPS mission will test new technologies on the Moon, including studying gases in lunar soil to explore resource use. A Laser Retroreflector Array on the lander will act as a navigation marker for future spacecraft by reflecting laser signals.
Other instruments will demonstrate a strong surface communications system, while a specialised propulsive drone will be deployed to hop across the lunar surface.
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer spacecraft, launched as a rideshare with the IM-2 mission, has begun its journey to lunar orbit to map the distribution of water on the Moon.
It will identify where lunar water is located, its different forms, and how it changes over time. During its two-year prime mission, the spacecraft will help scientists understand water cycles on airless bodies across the solar system while aiding future human and robotic missions by pinpointing water sources on the Moon.
As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, these efforts aim to advance planetary science, explore lunar resources, and support long-term human exploration.
