26-02-2025
Lunar lander launching from Florida could lead to discovery of water on the moon
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A lunar lander mission launching from Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday could lead to the discovery of water on the moon.
The Intuitive Machines Mission aims to be the first step to establishing a settlement on the moon, according to a report from NBC affiliate WESH.
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This comes as NASA prepares to send astronauts to the moon for the first time in decades. Stephen Altemus, co-founder and president of the Intuitive Machines Mission, said the operation 'sets the stage for the lunar economy.'
Athena, the six-legged Nova-C lander, will land in the moon's south pole region, where there may be water ice trapped beneath the surface. The lunar lander will drill down in search of gases.
'We have a good inkling that there's trapped water ice in the south pole region of the moon,' Altemus told WESH. 'What we're going to do here is demonstrate the technique of how you might drill to find it.'
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry the lunar lander to space on Wednesday. The launch window opens just after 7 p.m.
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