NASA has selected Houston-based Intuitive Machines to deliver an advanced ice extraction system to the Moon's south pole in 2022, as part of its ambitious Artemis program.
If you've followed space exploration news, you're aware that NASA plans to return astronauts to the Moon by 2024 through the Artemis initiative. Unlike the Apollo era over 50 years ago, this time the agency aims to establish a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.
Starting in 2028, astronauts will utilize a compact orbital station for routine trips to the surface. Long-term visions include building a permanent lunar base.
Initially, NASA and partners will rely on Earth shipments, but high transport costs necessitate in-situ resource utilization—especially water ice.
To advance this goal, NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a $47 million contract to develop and deploy an ice mining system at the Moon's south pole, the prime site for future settlements.
This marks the first mission dedicated to harvesting water ice from beneath the lunar surface, per NASA. It's under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, fostering private robotic lunar missions.
The PRIME-1 ice extractor will launch aboard Intuitive Machines' NOVA-C lander.
"Laying the groundwork to bring humans back to the Moon is an incredible honor and an even greater challenge," said Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines. "At Intuitive Machines, we are hungry to pursue these bold missions that will redefine what a small business is capable of."
PRIME-1 features a drill capable of reaching about one meter below the surface, paired with a mass spectrometer to quantify ice lost via sublimation during extraction.
If successful, PRIME-1's drill and spectrometer will also equip NASA's VIPER rover, set for a 2023 launch to prospect water ice at the south pole.
