Episode 1602: IM-1 Lunar Lander Launches Successfully; Deep Cuts at JPL a Heartache

It’ll do your heart good to have a listen to the IM-1 launch audio snippet at the opening of this episode. This episode finds us still focusing on the Intuitive Machines IM-1 Lunar Lander launch and lunar landing attempt to come later this week. Chantelle Baier from 4Space joins us once again to talk about the launch and the lunar landing, scheduled for February 22, 2024. Both Larry and Mark witnessed the LM-1 launch from Kennedy Space Center’s Banana Creek Launch Viewing Area at 1:05 a.m. on February 15th courtesy of 4Space.

But first, we have plenty of news in the roundup:

• Mark explains how NASA is looking for a new crew for a simulated year-long Mars mission ;
• Gene details the fallout from the recently announced Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) layoffs due to the Federal budget impasse;
• Uruguay and Greece sign the Artemis Accords.

Next, the team and Chantelle discuss our impressions from the IM-1 launch, and hints at what may come next for 4Space. These lunar deliveries are part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative in support of the Artemis program. We’ll keep you informed as events unfold. We also discuss some details relating to the innovative EagleCam experiment aboard the lander. Some interesting video of the IM-1 after separation from the tumbling Falcon 9 upper stage can be found here.

Finally, Mark eagerly shares a bit of background on a couple of engineers at Boeing who are diligently working on getting the Starliner’s re-entry parachutes sorted and ready for flight. This is the kind of folks you want packing your parachutes.

Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com . Our website now has a way to easily send us a voice message that we may use on the show: just click on the blue microphone icon at the bottom right of any page at TalkingSpaceOnline.com.

Show recorded 02-17-2024.

Host: Larry Herrin

Panelist(s): Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman and special guest Chantelle Baier (Dr. Kat Robison and Sawyer Rosenstein will return)

Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin

IM-1 Falcon 9 launch photo credit: SpaceX

Banana Creek crowd Image credit: Larry Herrin