Intuitive Machines to Deploy and Operate First Lunar Communication Satellite in 2022
Communication between Earth and the Moon is a monumental 239,000-mile task, and
Intuitive Machines (IM) is leading the way in pioneering this cislunar economic opportunity.
IM selected a York Space Systems S-CLASS satellite with a lunar communications payload to
launch on its upcoming IM-2 lunar South Pole mission scheduled for late 2022. The satellite
will orbit the Moon to provide communications like a satellite that orbits Earth.
“Establishing the first node in a lunar communication and navigation network is the key to
unlocking the next economic frontier, the cislunar economy,” said IM President and CEO
Steve Altemus.
“We are excited Intuitive Machines selected York to
enable their history-making lunar South Pole mission,”
said Melanie Preisser, Vice President, National Systems
at York Space Systems. “Our enhanced manufacturing
capacity, now fully operational with a flight-proven
supply chain, ensures we can meet Intuitive Machines’
rapid deployment timelines for this lunar mission.”
“We are in a phenomenal position to deliver payloads
to lunar orbit with each of our surface missions,” said
Altemus. “With an annual launch cadence, we’re able
to establish the first lunar communications satellite
and return reliably to finish the entire network around
the Moon.”
About IM-2: A Mission of Firsts
In addition to being the first to establish a lunar communications network, Intuitive
Machines’ second mission to the Moon will set the stage for future robotic exploration and
pave the way for the first woman and person of color to set foot on the lunar surface. IM-2 will
be the first spacecraft to ever land on the lunar South Pole. After sticking the landing, IM’s
spacecraft, Nova-C, will become the first to drill for lunar ice and deploy a rover to
demonstrate 4G LTE communication on the lunar surface. During surface operations, IM’s
μNova will demonstrate extreme lunar mobility. μNova will be the first spacecraft to explore
deep craters on the Moon’s surface.
About Intuitive Machines
Intuitive Machines’ complete lunar program unlocks the lunar economy to explore the solar
system further and gain knowledge for the progress of humanity. As the premier provider of
space services and technologies, Intuitive Machines is reestablishing the United States’
dominance on the ultimate high ground, the Moon. Designed by the greatest minds in
spaceflight, IM’s lunar program will send the first American spacecraft to the Moon since the
Apollo program and send the first spacecraft ever to reach the Lunar South Pole.
About York Space Systems
York Space Systems was founded to radically improve spacecraft affordability and reliability and is leading the industry in transforming and enabling next-generation space mission operations worldwide. York specializes in rapid production of complete mission-ready spacecraft platforms leveraging commercial development appliedto numerous government and commercial missions. York’s complete solution includes spacecraft production, payload integration, system integration and test, launch services, ground segment services, and mission operations. By leveraging York’s existing technologysolutions customers can rapidly and responsively get to orbit outpacing competitors. York’s proven S-CLASS and LX-CLASS platforms are standardized 3-axis stabilized spacecraft executing ISR, remote proximity, weather,
and communication missions for a wide variety of government and commercial customers. It
is fully compatible with most launch vehicles, including ground and air-launched, and
ground segment providers. When combined with York’s cloud-based mission tasking and
autonomous operations center, customers get an ultra-low-cost solution for on-demand data
collection and analytics. For more information, visit http://www.YorkSpaceSystems.com.
