What's that, you say one lunar landing this week isn't enough? Don't worry, there's another one scheduled for Thursday.
Intuitive Machines' IM-2 spacecraft is in orbit around the Moon, preparing for touchdown at 12:32pm EST on March 6. 🧪ðŸ”
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/03/04/intuitive-machines-completes-lunar-orbit-insertion-captures-images/
Intuitive Machines' IM-2 spacecraft is in orbit around the Moon, preparing for touchdown at 12:32pm EST on March 6. 🧪ðŸ”
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/03/04/intuitive-machines-completes-lunar-orbit-insertion-captures-images/
Comments
Are we in a time of diminishing returns with space exploration?
Aren't we just doing same, same for more cost?
Pioneer & Voyager were a couple of baked bean cans held together by elastic bands (metaphorically!!) and look at the return on the investment
Landing on the moon? 🤷
We already have first looks at all the major bodies, so everything now is either smaller objects or follow-ups.
Voyager was a huge mission, about $7 billion in current dollars.
The current Europa Clipper & Lucy are also very ambitious missions! Not to mention JWST, etc.
The old NASA philosophy delivered so much
It's amazing how the Voyagers are still working and all the expertise still available to 'talk' to & keep 50 year old products active
Don't hear much about the Pioneers-asteroid belt trailblazers for the Voyagers I understand
The unsung heroes
The names of the 2 programmes couldn't have been better chosen
Voyager 2 still the only visitor to Uranus & Neptune?
I just hope NASAX isn't going to focus its efforts on a manned mission to Mars, especially with China having its eye on the Moon