Home > Media Releases > Intuitive Machines selects MDA Lunar landing sensors to support first US mission to the Moon in 50 years
Intuitive Machines selects MDA Lunar landing sensors to support first US mission to the Moon in 50 years
Media Release: August 23, 2021
Contract represents the fourth Lunar sensor award for MDA as the number of planned Moon missions grows
MDA Ltd. (TSX:MDA), a leading provider of advanced technology and services to the rapidly-expanding global space industry, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Intuitive Machines, LLC to provide Lunar landing sensors to support its upcoming IM-1 and IM-2 missions. As a result, MDA landing sensors will support the first soft landing US mission to the Moon since 1972, scheduled for early 2022. MDA landing sensors will also support the first ever mining mission to the South pole of the Moon in late 2022.
Intuitive Machines was selected as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. These CLPS missions will help lay the foundation for future missions and a sustainable human presence on the Lunar surface. MDA is currently under contract to provide its Lunar landing sensors to three different commercial customers supporting four individual missions scheduled between 2022 and 2024.
With the space economy increasingly driven by commercial demand, MDA has developed a full suite of affordable sensor products that have been designed for use in Lunar landing, orbital debris removal, rendezvous and docking as well as Earth observation. The product line includes:
· 3D scanning LIDAR;
· Infrared camera; and
· Laser Range Finder
This standardized technology ideally positions MDA for further expansion into the rapidly emerging global market for space situational awareness sensors that are affordable and available.
“Every week there are major global developments in the commercialization of space that bring us closer and closer to making the vision of an active Lunar village with routine flights from Earth to the Moon a reality. Landing technology has been a critical component of successful flight since the dawn of aviation and now, working with partners like Intuitive Machines, we are commercializing that technology for space flight.”
- Mike Greenley, Chief Executive Officer, MDA
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ABOUT MDA
Serving the world from its Canadian home and global offices, MDA (TSX:MDA) is an international space mission partner and a robotics, satellite systems and geointelligence pioneer with a 50-year story of firsts on and above the Earth. With over 2,000 employees across Canada, the US and the UK, MDA is leading the charge towards viable Moon colonies, enhanced Earth observation, communication in a hyper-connected world, and more. With a track record of making space ambitions come true, MDA enables highly skilled people to continually push boundaries, tackle big challenges, and imagine solutions that inspire and endure to change the world for the better, on the ground and in the stars.
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Amy MacLeod
613-796-6937