the launch of a new machine towards the Moon by American companies scheduled for February 14

If the Intuitive Machines and SpaceX mission is a success, it would be the first landing of an American spacecraft on the planet since the end of the Apollo program.

They are aiming for the Moon for Valentine’s Day. American companies will try to send a machine to the Moon on February 14, at 12:57 a.m. (6:57 a.m. French time), NASA announced on Wednesday February 7. A moon lander from Houston, Texas-based Intuitive Machines will be attached to the top of a SpaceX rocket.

The last attempt, in January, was carried out by a moon lander from the company Astrobotic, launched aboard a Vulcan Centaur rocket from the ULA group, which brings together Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Due to an in-flight fuel leak, the aircraft failed to reach the Moon and was intentionally disintegrated upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

NASA instruments and sculptures by Jeff Koons

Intuitive Machines’ lander, called Nova-C, will take off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and is expected to land on the moon on February 2A2, near the lunar south pole. If the mission is a success, it would be the first landing of an American spacecraft on the Moon since the end of the Apollo program more than 50 years ago, and the first successful landing on the lunar surface by a private company. .

The Nova-C lander will carry scientific instruments from NASA, which has signed a contract worth more than $100 million with the company Intuitive Machines. These should provide a better understanding of the lunar environment, in order to help the American space agency prepare for the return of astronauts to the Moon, which it is planning with its Artemis program. The Nova-C craft will also carry colorful sculptures by contemporary artist Jeff Koons.