Discover How Wednesday’s SpaceX Launch is Pioneering Groundbreaking Science for the Moon and Beyond!

On Wednesday, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center, bringing an exciting mix of science to space.

This mission isn’t just about getting one thing into orbit; it’s sending three major payloads. It includes a satellite meant for the Moon, a lunar lander, and a spacecraft that may help us mine asteroids. Plus, there’s a 16U satellite managed by Exolaunch that will stay in geostationary orbit around Earth.

The launch window opens on February 26, with the best chance for liftoff at 7:17 p.m. ET. However, weather and other factors can delay things. You can catch all the action live on NASA’s website or through other livestreams provided by NASA Spaceflight.

The Moon is attracting attention once again, with two of the payloads linked to efforts to establish crewed bases there. One of these is a Nova-C lander, named Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.

In February 2024, Intuitive Machines became the first private firm to land on the Moon, even though the lander stumbled a bit upon touchdown. Now, Athena aims to land in the Moon’s South Pole region, specifically at a site called Mons Mouton. Equipped with a drill and a mass spectrometer, it will look for vital chemicals like water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, all of which could support future missions.

Joining Athena is Grace, a Micro-Nova robot. Grace’s job is to hop around inside a permanently shadowed crater to search for water and take photos.

Another important payload is NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer. This satellite will map where water exists on the lunar surface. It aims to help us understand the Moon’s water cycle and answer key questions about how much water is there and its distribution.

There’s also the Astroforge spacecraft, set for a longer journey. Founded in 2022, Astroforge aims to be the first company to mine asteroids for useful minerals. After a rocky start in 2023, where its first mission faced communication issues, this upcoming launch is much more ambitious.

If all goes well, the Odin spacecraft will become the farthest-traveling private craft in history. It will take about five days to reach the Moon, using its gravity to propel itself toward an asteroid named 2022 OB5, which is considered a good candidate for mining due to its potential metallic content.

CEO Matt Gialich is cautious about the mission’s success, stating it could take a long time to achieve their goals, and the risks are higher than usual for this project. He has personally overseen the details of this mission and welcomes the responsibility if things don’t go as planned.

Should this mission succeed, it could mark a significant milestone. In the future, you might find yourself in a Moon base, wearing a watch made from platinum mined from an asteroid.