Alexander Lewis 
Feb 12, 2024
NASA is gearing up for its latest lunar mission set to launch late on Tuesday, February 13, or in the early hours of Wednesday, February 14, depending on your location. Spearheaded by Intuitive Machines as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, this mission marks the debut of their lunar lander aimed at delivering scientific payloads to the moon's surface.
The launch, slated to be live-streamed by NASA, will see the deployment of the Nova-C lunar lander aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Named Nova-C, the lander is equipped to carry both commercial payloads and NASA science experiments, with a primary landing target near the moon's south pole in an area called Malapert A, adjacent to the larger Malapert crater. Notably, this location aligns closely with one of NASA's proposed landing sites for the Artemis III crewed mission to the moon.
Among the payloads onboard are NASA experiments aimed at studying the moon's plasma environment and capturing images of the lander's engine plume during descent. Additionally, commercial payloads include tests on thermal materials and a specialised camera.
This launch holds significant anticipation following the setback of the first commercial lunar landing attempt under the CLPS program, which ended in failure. All eyes are now on this second attempt to ascertain its success.
For those eager to witness the event, NASA will provide live coverage via NASA TV, accessible through various platforms including YouTube and the NASA+ app for iOS, Android, and other devices.
Coverage begins at 12:15am ET on Wednesday, February 14, with the launch scheduled just before 1am ET. NASA advises viewers to stay updated on real-time operational activities through its Artemis blog or X account for the latest developments.
