Having received a NASA CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) contract in May worth US$77 million to carry up five payloads to the lunar surface, the Nova-C commercial lunar lander’s operator has moved quickly to secure its passage to the Moon. It has signed up for a shared ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch in 2021. The launch price was not disclosed.
Artist’s impression of Nova-C lander on lunar surface. Courtesy: Intuitive Machines
While the Nova-C lander is an unmanned lunar landing craft, NASA has now put out a formal request for human lunar lander designs.
