Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission, CLPS mission with NASA and commercial payloads Options

[nogal]

Intuitive Machines just issued a 4-page PDF file with a Vehicle Health Update.

Link: https://www.intuitivemachines.com/_files/ug...4e566d8e2f0.pdf

They are preparing for the engine commissioning manoeuvre.
Fernando

[kenny]

Update on IM-1

The engine commissioning burn due last night was delayed.
It seems it has not yet happened.

IM-1 update Feb 16 2024

The IM-1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander continues to be in excellent health, in a stable
orientation and remains on schedule for a lunar landing opportunity on the afternoon of
February 22. The original mission structure allocated a Commission Maneuver (CM) and three
trajectory correction maneuvers to position for Lunar Orbit Insertion. This approach provided
flexibility in the mission’s engine burn schedule to allow for learning as we operate the lander
in the vacuum of space. Adjusting for this learning process is why the team chose to delay the
burn on February 15.
Communication delays and outages are expected when executing lunar missions, which we
accounted for in our mission planning. While preparing for the CM burn last night, flight controllers
experienced intermittent uplink and downlink data communications between Nova-C and the
ground stations, potentially impacting our ability to collect the critical information required to
support the CM burn and follow-on performance analysis.
As we prepared for the first-ever in-space ignition of a liquid methane and liquid oxygen engine,
we reviewed our Earth-based test data against the data we’ve accumulated in space. The inspace performance demonstrated that it takes longer to chill the liquid oxygen feed line than
the Earth-based testing. After understanding the in-space liquid oxygen feedline requirements,
we adjusted and uploaded the CM burn preparation timeline and increased the onboard event
sequence timer.
Again, the IM-1 mission Nova-C class lunar lander is in excellent health, and we expect to continue
to provide mission updates at least once a day.

[kymani76]

Landing site map. We are in polar terrain, there are lots of shadows.

[kymani76]

Wider view colored with elevation.

[Phil Stooke]

https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1758677812217545020

That burn has been done successfully now.

Phil

[Thorsten Denk]

https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1758677819310104891

"...lunar landing opportunity on the afternoon of February 22."

I suppose that this is US time, so for Europe it should be in the (late) evening.
With the Moon well over the horizon.

I love to see the Moon during a Lunar landing,
just the imagination that this happens AT THIS MOMENT RIGHT THERE!

Thorsten

[Hungry4info]

First pics -- wow! (from their website)

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[nogal]

As Phil noted, the burn went well and the "engine firing included a full thrust mainstage engine burn and throttle down-profile necessary to land on the Moon" (see entry on this page https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-1 .
The third image from Hungry4info's post shows most of Australia. I wonder what the Earth-Moon trajectory looks like in 3D...
Fernando

​

[Explorer1]

Some neat images released into a movie in this video (but strobe warning!). Looks like all is going well so far.

[AJAW]

First pics -- wow! (from their website)

What is the very small, roundish bright thing (floating against the black background) visible in three of the images?

[Hungry4info]

If I'm thinking of the object you are, it's the upper stage of the rocket that launched it.

[Explorer1]

Yes, in the first image a few minutes after separation, it's very obvious!
First trajectory correction manouvre was nominal (and they are promising daily updates).

[Thorsten Denk]

Lunar Landing is planned for Thursday Feb 22 at 22:49 UTC.
Lunar Orbit Insertion one day before. Hour I don't know.

Thorsten

[nogal]

All seems to continue to go well for the IM-1 mission. The 1st and 2nd TCMs were so successful that the 3rd TCM is not needed and was cancelled.

See https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-1

Today is Lunar Orbit Insertion, at about 100km altitude. Odysseus is supposed to make about 12 2-hour orbits before attempting landing.
From this orbit it will descend to 10km, which takes about an hour, followed by powered descent. So I'm guessing that LOI will be around 21:00 UTC today.

The details above, along with a wealth of other information, are in the PRESS KIT (https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-1?ligh...taItem-ls22wsqq)

Fernando
PS - I hope the sky is clear!

[Thorsten Denk]

According to Jonathan McDowell, the first perilune is today at 14:40 UTC.
https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1760180109925929154

"IM-1 is now inside the lunar gravitational sphere of influence and heading towards a 100 km perilune at 1440 UTC"
"I estimate the lunar orbit insertion burn needs a delta-V of 600 m/s"

I suppose that LOI will be done at perilune (?)

Thorsten