| Names | IM-2 CLPS-3 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Lunar landing |
| Operator | Intuitive Machines |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Athena |
| Spacecraft type | Nova-C |
| Manufacturer | Intuitive Machines |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | Q4 2024 UTC |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch site | Kennedy LC-39A |
| Lunar lander | |
| Landing site | Shackleton connecting ridge[1] |
IM-2 is an upcoming lunar mission that will be carried out in 2024 by Intuitive Machines for NASA's CLPS program, using a Nova-C lunar lander.[2] The company named this lander Athena.[3] The mission aims to uncover the presence and amount of lunar water ice using PRIME-1, which consists of a drill and mass spectrometer. The lander will carry a Micro Nova Hopper, a drone that will utilize its neutron spectrometer in the PSR (permanently shadowed region) of the nearby Marston crater. If successful, this would provide the first measurement of hydrogen on the surface in the PSR, a key indicator of water.[4][5]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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nssdcwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "From ancient tales to modern space exploration, our IM-2 mission lander, Athena".
- ^ David, Leonard (June 14, 2024). "Moon ice in the Artemis era: what we still don't know". SpaceNews. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
- ^ "NASA, Intuitive Machines Announce Landing Site Location for Lunar Drill - NASA". November 3, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2024.