top of page
Satellite Evolution Group

NASA selects Intuitive Machines team to develop survive the lunar night technology


Intuitive Machines announced NASA’s Space Technology and Mission Directorate (STMD) has awarded a $15 million Tipping Point initiative award to the Zeno Power-led team, including Intuitive Machines. The award is for the development of a Radioisotope Power System (RPS) that may enable lunar assets to survive and operate during the lunar night and in permanently shadowed regions of the Moon.


Intuitive Machines has been designated approximately $2.4 million of the award to

assist Zeno Power in developing an interoperable americium-241 (Am-241) radioisotope

Sterling generator that may be integrated into lunar landers to enable it to survive the

lunar night cycle.


The lunar night cycle refers to the period of darkness on the Moon that lasts approximately

14 Earth days. During this time, temperatures on the lunar surface drop drastically,

reaching as low as -279 degrees Fahrenheit. By surviving the lunar night, missions on

the surface of the Moon could extend from two Earth weeks to several years.


“The ability to survive the lunar night is paramount to Intuitive Machines and the space

exploration community,” said Trent Martin, Intuitive Machines Vice President of Space

Systems. “NASA investing in mission longevity and the endurance of spacecraft paves

the way for uninterrupted scientific exploration, enabling future robotic and human

missions to unlock the mysteries of the lunar surface and propel humanity’s presence

in space to new frontiers.”


Through the Tipping Point solicitation, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate

seeks industry-developed space technologies that can foster the development

of commercial space capabilities and benefit future NASA missions. The publicprivate

partnerships established through Tipping Point selections combine NASA

resources with industry contributions, shepherding the development of critical space

technologies. NASA plans to leverage these innovations for its Artemis program,

which will establish sustainable operations on the Moon by the end of the decade in

preparation for an expedition to Mars.


The Zeno Power-led team’s goal is to develop flight-ready technology for a 2027 lunar

surface demonstration.


For more information visit. :https://www.intuitivemachines.com

Comments


bottom of page