Intuitive Machines' Compact Squads Overcome Moon's Major Obstacles in Space Exploration
Intuitive Machines, an innovative company based in the heart of Houston, Texas, is making its mark in the private space sector, with a primary focus on lunar exploration, communication, and delivery solutions. This dynamic firm is on a mission to become the Moon's preferred package courier, and the backing of NASA is helping them achieve this lofty goal.
Just recently, Intuitive Machines made a significant splash with the successful soft landing of its Nova-C lunar lander, Odysseus, in the southern polar region of the Moon on February 22. This marked the first soft landing by a U.S. spacecraft on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Despite a few hiccups—like a malfunctioning landing laser, a busted leg, and Odie landing on its side—the IM-1 mission team still managed to accomplish a number of their major objectives. Plus, Intuitive Machines outperformed their main competitor, Astrobotic, whose Peregrine lander failed to reach the Moon during an earlier mission this year.
With around 400 employees, Intuitive Machines is eagerly working on its next Nova-C mission and a larger lander, called Nova-D, which will enable the construction of sustainable lunar infrastructure. The company is also planning to deploy a group of communications satellites orbiting the Moon, as well as landing a 1.5-metric-ton lunar rover for use by NASA's Artemis astronauts.
At the helm of this lunar race is Chief Technical Officer Tim Crain. With a background in aerospace engineering, including time spent at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Crain is bringing his expertise to Intuitive Machines. He spoke with us about the company's goals, the current state of the spaceflight industry, and more.
Moving away from the mainstream
Crain's career path has been as dynamic as the projects he's worked on. After earning his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, he contributed to cutting-edge aerospace science at NASA's Johnson Space Center. He worked on human Mars missions, autonomous landing on the Moon, and more. Crain's fascination with rapid innovation emerged during his time on the Morpheus project, a smaller experimental initiative developing a lunar lander at NASA. This experience influenced his decision to co-found Intuitive Machines in 2013, with the goal of adapting spaceflight engineering principles for use in other sectors like environmental and biomedical engineering. After joining NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program in 2018 and securing a $2.6 billion contract, Intuitive Machines pivoted back to their moon-focused mission, culminating in their historic lunar landing earlier this year. The company, which trades under the ticker symbol LUNR on the Nasdaq, was recently recognized by TIME as one of the 100 most influential companies of 2024.
Trust and innovation
Crain stresses the importance of collaboration and sharing ideas across disciplines, drawing parallels between the booming space sector and Silicon Valley. He notes that NASA's expanding partnerships have contributed to a more vibrant and inclusive space industry ecosystem. At Intuitive Machines, teams decide whether to brainstorm solutions in-house or collaborate externally. When it comes to external collaborations, Crain follows a well-known NASA credo: trust but verify.
Embracing change
"We like to make sure that everyone appreciates that the problem is the problem and it's not our individual ego," Crain said. He shared an early experience from the company's lunar program, in which a young computer scientist challenged his aerospace-based approach to image processing. This challenge not only led to a more advanced and proven method but was also crucial to their successful lunar landing earlier this year. Small teams, Crain believes, are key to driving innovation. To maintain flexibility and avoid becoming too bogged down by bureaucracy, Intuitive Machines employs "tiger teams"—small and agile groups tasked with solving specific challenges. These teams are formed, tackle the issue, and are then disbanded, ensuring innovation and agility.
The promise of the Moon
Crain sees Intuitive Machines playing a significant role in the growing space economy, particularly in lunar exploration. The company views itself as a space infrastructure company, focusing on transportation to the Moon and surface operations. Intuitive Machines is working to streamline complex spacecraft operations, allowing clients to focus on specialized tasks like construction and scientific experiments. The Nova-C lander, which can carry payloads up to 220 pounds to the Moon, was designed to address early market demands in 2018, when there wasn't a broad demand for commercial delivery of payloads to the Moon. However, current plans call for upgrading to the Nova-D design, capable of transporting 3,300 to 5,510 pounds.
Related article: The Definitive Guide to SpaceX's Starship Megarocket
When asked about the potential impact of SpaceX's Starship (still under development), Crain offered a practical perspective. He argues that the logistics involved in space exploration go beyond just increased capacity, likening it to a distribution network that requires careful planning and execution. He believes Starship's development will enhance Intuitive Machines' business model and usher in a need for rethinking packaging strategies for lunar landing as well as lunar orbits.
Crain also discussed the potential role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in aerospace work. Intuitive Machines plans to incorporate AI to improve efficiency and aid in spotting important anomalies that might otherwise go unnoticed. The company is also considering the use of Edge computing and advanced data systems, like orbiting servers around the Moon, to manage and process data on-site, thereby bridging the gap between Earth-based operations and those in space.
Lastly, Crain highlighted the upcoming Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), which will serve as a versatile, hardy tractor, capable of handling various tasks like hauling and serving as a mobile platform for a small nuclear power station. The need for durable infrastructure on the Moon that can survive harsh lunar nights is crucial, and robotics will play a significant part in creating and assembling lunar infrastructure before human arrival. Robots, Crain contends, will usher in a new era of autonomous, preparatory missions in space exploration.
Reflecting on the future, Crain expressed excitement about the progress being made in space exploration and the prospect of witnessing humans living on the Moon within his career. "It's pretty wild," Crain said. "But we are chipping away at that challenge."
- In the future, Intuitive Machines anticipates enabling sustainable lunar infrastructure by using their larger lunar lander, Nova-D, which will have a greater carrying capacity than Nova-C.
- Embracing rapid innovation, Intuitive Machines adapts spaceflight engineering principles for other sectors like environmental and biomedical engineering, setting themselves apart from traditional aerospace companies.
- The collaboration between Intuitive Machines and NASA, as well as partnerships across different disciplines, foster a more vibrant and inclusive space industry ecosystem.
- As the space industry progresses, Chief Technical Officer Tim Crain sees the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning becoming increasingly important in improving efficiency and detecting anomalies in aerospace work.
