Intuitive Machines, carrying NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations, is targeting their Moon landing no earlier than 12:32 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 6. The company's Nova-C lunar lander is slated to land in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon's South Pole, as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence.

Live landing coverage of the Intuitive Machines 2 (IM-2) landing, hosted by NASA and Intuitive Machines, on NASA+ will start approximately 60 minutes before touchdown. Following the Moon landing, NASA and Intuitive Machines will host a news conference from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the mission, technology demonstrations, and science opportunities that lie ahead as lunar surface operations begin.

Full coverage of the IM-2 mission includes (all times Eastern):

Thursday, March 6

• 11:30 a.m. – Landing coverage begins on NASA+
• 12:32 p.m. – Landing
• 4 p.m.        – Post-landing news conference on NASA+

After landing, NASA and Intuitive Machines leaders will participate in the news conference: 

• Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
• Clayton Turner, associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
• Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
• Steve Altemus, CEO, Intuitive Machines
• Tim Crain, chief growth officer, Intuitive Machines

The IM-2 mission launched at 7:16 p.m. Feb. 26 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander is carrying NASA technology that will measure the potential presence of resources from lunar soil that could be extracted and used by future explorers to produce fuel or breathable oxygen.

In addition, a passive Laser Retroreflector Array on the top deck of the lander will bounce laser light back at any orbiting or incoming spacecraft to give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. Other technologies on this delivery will demonstrate a robust cellular network to help future astronauts communicate and deploy a propulsive drone that can hop across the lunar surface to navigate its challenging terrain.

NASA continues to work with multiple American companies to deliver technology and science to the lunar surface through the agency's CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on contracts for end-to-end lunar delivery services, including payload integration and operations, launching from Earth, and landing on the surface of the Moon. NASA's CLPS contracts are indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum value of $2.6 billion through 2028. The agency awarded Intuitive Machines the contract to send NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations to the Moon using its American-designed and -manufactured lunar lander for approximately $62.5 million.

Through the Artemis campaign, commercial robotic deliveries will test technologies, perform science experiments, and demonstrate capabilities on and around the Moon to help NASA explore in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface, and ultimately crewed missions to Mars.

Click here to learn more about Intuitive Machine's NOVA-D