Last year began with the launch of Astrobotics’ Peregrine lander, the first of several missions by companies working under multimillion-dollar contracts under NASA‘s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Ultimately, Peregrine did not reach its destination due to a post-launch fuel leak, but just a few weeks later, Intuitive Machines launched and successfully landed its Odysseus spacecraft on the Moon – a first for a private spacecraft. (Odysseus flipped over when it hit the ground, but its payload was still able to collect and transmit some data.)
At the end of February, a lunar lander with instruments that will help explore what is beneath the Moon’s surface will leave NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on its way to the Moon. Two months after the beginning of the year, this will be the third mission to go to the Moon in 2025. If 2024 was dedicated to establishing a commercial presence on the Moon, then 2025 is the year of doubling down. Unless Trump decides to de-prioritize the lunar mission and shifts the focus to Mars under Elon Musk, thus throwing off the entire schedule. But regardless, this year should be a busy one for the Moon.
