Intuitive Machines lander and hopper hosts Puli Lunar Water Snooper

The Intuitive Machines Micro Nova Hopper is integrated with their Athena lunar lander, ahead of their second commercial mission to the lunar surface, scheduled for no earlier than late February of this year.

Mounted on the Micro Nova Hopper is the Puli Lunar Water Snooper (PLWS), built by Hungarian space technology company Puli Space Technologies.

PLWS is a neutron spectrometer that will study water ice in the Moon's south pole region and provide the first direct surface measurements from a permanently shadowed crater.

ESA’s Lunar Science Office recognises the importance of the expected data and has made history by signing its first exploration data buy agreement with Puli Space Technologies. This collaboration highlights the expertise in the European space industry and sets a precedent for future public-private partnerships in deep space exploration. ESA will select a dedicated scientific team to work closely with Puli Space to analyse and standardise the data, which will be made publicly available later.