IM-3 is a robotic spaceflight mission planned by Intuitive Machines for launch in 2027 for NASA's CLPS program, using a Nova-C lunar lander. It will deliver payloads to the lunar swirl in the Reiner Gamma region. The lander will investigate the properties of the unexpected magnetic field that has been detected in the vicinity of the Reiner Gamma swirl.NASA Selects Intuitive Machines for New Lunar Science Delivery By Karen Fox et al. Nov.17, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
Mission hardware
The Reiner Gamma landing site was announced for the first PRISM opportunity and the JHU Applied Physics Laboratory's Lunar Vertex payload was selected to conduct a detailed scientific analysis of the surface and surface environment. David Blewett (APL) is the principal investigator and leads the science team. Lunar Vertex includes payload elements on the Nova-C lander (APL magnetometer, SwRI plasma spectrometer, and Redwire camera arrays) and on a Lunar Outpost rover (APL magnetometer and Canadensys microscopic imager). APL also provided overall management, systems engineer, SMA, and rover integration and testing.
In addition to Lunar Vertex, IM-3 payloads include the Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Explorers (CADRE) rovers, ESA's MoonLIGHT Pointing Actuator (MPAc), KASI's Lunar Space Environment Monitor (LUSEM), and AstroForge's Vestri. The MoonLIGHT MPAc hardware was qualified for flight and has been in storage since December 2023. LUSEM was similarly qualified and delivered in 2023. Vestri is a launch ride-share payload that will not be directly integrated with the Trinity lander. The CADRE rovers were delivered to Intuitive Machines in 2025.
In December 2025, ASA funded organisation Lunaria One was approved to add the Australian Lunar Experiment Promoting Horticulture (ALEPH-1) payload which will test plant growth and survival in the lunar environment.
Lunar data network In 2024 the Intuitive Machines chief executive indicated that in addition to the lander, the IM-3 mission might deliver a data-relay satellite to lunar orbit. NASA asserts, "Lunar relays will play an essential role in NASA’s Artemis campaign to establish a long-term presence on the Moon." Additional reporting in 2025 indicated this work will be performed under a Near Space Network Services contract that NASA had previously awarded to Intuitive Machines.
In a 2026 presentation researchers described plans to launch the Altus-1 / LDN-1 Lunar Data Network (LDN) satellite on IM-3.https://www.ion.org/gnss/abstracts.cfm?paperID=17184 The eventual LDN would consist of five lunar satellites to deliver Lunar Communications Relay and Navigation Systems (LCRNS) services for NASA. In August 2026 NASA delivered to IM a NavCube3-mini navigation receiver for use on Altus-1.
History NASA selected a Nova-C mission for CLPS task order CP-11. In August 2021, Intuitive Machines selected SpaceX to launch its third lunar mission, IM-3. On 4 August 2026, NASA confirmed that IM-3 would launch with a total of 12 payloads. Of these, 5 are NASA payloads, 6 are commercial payloads, with one payload coming from the ISA. As of 7 January 2026, the launch of IM-3 is expected to take place in second half 2026. In September 2026, NASA announced that the mission had slipped to the "first part" of 2027.
See also Commercial Lunar Payload Services IM-1 IM-2 Peregrine Mission One List of missions to the Moon Chandrayaan-3 Luna 25 Smart Lander for Investigating Moon
References
External links
Intuitive Machines