Back to forums

Intuitive Machines IM-2 lunar lander

Equipment Space News
3 replies•123 views
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
Alien_Enthusiast avatar
What do you think of the Intuitive Machines IM-2 lunar lander that felt over for the second time?

https://app.astrobin.com/equipment/explorer/telescope/65506/intuitive-machines-im-2-nova-c-lander-athena

Marc Schrier avatar
Marc Schrier avatar
I think the IM engineers should have played more Kerbal Space Program.  If you build something tall and top-heavy, it has a much higher chance of tipping over than something short and squatty.  They may want to rethink their design at this point.
Well Written Engaging
Tony Gondola avatar
Tony Gondola avatar
Too many points of contact. if you just had 3, which is really all you need, you could make them stronger. I don't know if that's been an issue, if not, you could save mass. I have no idea where the CG is on this thing but I would think, the lower the better. It was funny watching the press conference yesterday. I heard a lot of happy word salad from IM and NASA but no one really addressed the 600 lb. gorilla in the room until pressed, did it tip over! Now we know…
pfile avatar
pfile avatar
scott manley has a video where he posits that one of the lander legs broke while it was lading, based on an image from a little rover that was attached to the side of the spacecraft.

also i heard that the lander was kind of tall apparently because it landed near the moon's south pole and they needed to get solar panels up high to catch the sun.