HOUSTON, TX – February 16, 2024
The IM-1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander continues to be in excellent health, in a stable orientation and remains on schedule for a lunar landing opportunity on the afternoon of February 22. The original mission structure allocated a Commission Maneuver (CM) and three trajectory correction maneuvers to position for Lunar Orbit Insertion. This approach provided flexibility in the mission’s engine burn schedule to allow for learning as we operate the lander in the vacuum of space. Adjusting for this learning process is why the team chose to delay the burn on February 15.
Communication delays and outages are expected when executing lunar missions, which we accounted for in our mission planning. While preparing for the CM burn last night, flight controllers experienced intermittent uplink and downlink data communications between Nova-C and the ground stations, potentially impacting our ability to collect the critical information required to support the CM burn and follow-on performance analysis.
As we prepared for the first-ever in-space ignition of a liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine, we reviewed our Earth-based test data against the data we’ve accumulated in space. The in- space performance demonstrated that it takes longer to chill the liquid oxygen feed line than the Earth-based testing. After understanding the in-space liquid oxygen feedline requirements, we adjusted and uploaded the CM burn preparation timeline and increased the onboard event sequence timer.
Again, the IM-1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander is in excellent health, and we expect to continue to provide mission updates at least once a day.
IM–1 Mission Engine Commissioning Update
Intuitive Machines flight controllers successfully fired the first liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine in space, completing the IM–1 mission engine commissioning. This engine firing included a full thrust mainstage engine burn and throttle down-profile necessary to land on the Moon.
Over the next eight hours, flight controllers will analyze the engine burn data collected from over 270,000 km away from Earth.
This represents another first for Intuitive Machines, demonstrating one of the critical technologies required to land softly on the surface of the Moon.
The IM–1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander continues to be in excellent health, in a stable orientation and remains on schedule for a lunar landing opportunity on the afternoon of February 22.
