Two of Houston's most notable space technology companies — Axiom Space and Intuitive Machines — are both slated to launch into space early next year. This week, Axiom unveiled its research plans for onboard the International Space Station, while Intuitive Machines received a $77.5 million contract award for four additional lunar payload missions in 2024.
Axiom Space
Houston-based Axiom Space revealed the research underpinning its upcoming launch to the International Space Station.
Four private astronauts, including Axiom Space Vice President and former NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría serving as commander, will fly the first fully private mission to the ISS on the Ax-1 mission in February 2022. While in orbit, the crew plans to conduct 25 experiments, with activities centering on science, education and outreach, the company announced Nov. 17.
Nonprofit activist investor Larry Connor, who will serve as pilot during the Ax-1 mission, will focus on experiments in collaboration with Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic while onboard the ISS, according to the announcement. For Mayo Clinic, Connor will provide data on the impacts of space travel on heart health and senescent cells. His work for Cleveland Clinic will consist of pre- and post-mission MRIs to study the impacts of spaceflight on spinal and brain tissue.
Canadian investor and philanthropist Mark Pathy, Ax-1 mission specialist, will conduct research on behalf of The Montreal Children’s Hospital, Canadian Research Universities and The Royal Canadian Geographical Society. He's expected to take part in research projects with several Canadian universities and their investigators, including research into chronic pain and sleep disturbances during space travel and Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome, which can impact the visual acuity of astronauts during long space flights.
Israeli investor and philanthropist Eytan Stibbe will conduct research in collaboration with the Israel Space Agency in the Israeli Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology. He plans to facilitate scientific experiments, as well as educational and artistic activities.
Axiom announced raising a $130 million Series B funding round in February.
Intuitive Machines
Houston-based space technology firm Intuitive Machines is gearing up for its first launch to the moon early next year — but the firm is adding four more lunar missions with a new $77.5 million contract.
NASA selected Intuitive Machines to deliver four science and technology demonstrations payloads to the surface of the moon in 2024, according to a Nov. 17 announcement. It's the third lunar contract award Intuitive Machines has received under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
The firm's Nova-C lander spacecraft is capable of carrying 100 kilograms of payloads for NASA and commercial customers to the surface of the moon. During Intuitive Machine's third lunar mission — IM-3 — the firm will provide delivery and operational support for 91.6kg of CLPS payloads. The mission will also continue to build out Intuitive Machines' lunar data relay service with a second orbiting satellite. The firm plans to deploy its first satellite for a broader communications and networking infrastructure on the moon during the IM-2 mission in 2022.
"Every element of our LPDS program is mature and will be demonstrated on our IM-1 and IM-2 missions including the Nova-C lander, ground communications, mission operations, launch service and payload integration," said Steve Altemus, president and CEO of Intuitive Machines. "This win is another example of our commitment to help lay the foundation for a sustained long-term presence on the lunar surface."
In 2019, the firm was awarded a $77 million contract through the CLPS initiative to develop, launch and land a Nova-C lander on the moon.
Check out more on how the space race runs through Texas in this statewide feature from Houston Inno, Austin Inno and North Texas Inno.
