Houston-based company, Intuitive Machines, has secured access to simulated lunar and Martian terrains. The firm will use the regolith, or loose rocks and dust that cover solid bedrock, created by Off Planet Research (OPR) in Lacey, Washington. This access will enable Intuitive Machines to further develop, test, and refine its lunar lander, Nova-C, and lunar drilling systems.
The Nova-C lunar lander is a crucial piece of the company’s ambitious plans for lunar exploration. The lander is designed to deliver up to 130 kg of cargo to the moon’s surface and execute a series of lunar science experiments. The lander is also equipped with advanced communication systems to relay data back to Earth. The access to the simulated lunar and Martian terrains will aid in fine-tuning and validating the performance of Nova-C under realistic conditions.
The agreement between Intuitive Machines and OPR also extends to the development of a Lunar Polar Drill System (LPDS). LPDS is designed to drill up to 1 meter below the moon’s surface to extract water ice. This water ice could potentially be used for life support, power generation, and rocket fuel. The simulated lunar surface will allow the company to test and perfect the drilling system before its actual deployment on the lunar surface.
Off Planet Research creates high-fidelity regolith simulant, which closely matches the physical and chemical properties of lunar and Martian soil. The company’s work aids NASA and other space exploration companies in preparing for future manned and unmanned missions to the moon and Mars. The regolith is made from basalt and glass materials that simulate the lunar and Martian terrains.
Intuitive Machines is one of the leading companies in the emerging lunar economy. It is one of the companies selected by NASA under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services contracts to deliver science and technology payloads to the moon. The company’s access to simulated lunar and Martian terrains will significantly boost its preparations for its lunar missions, which are scheduled to commence in 2022.