Working It

Blue Ghost landing, the selfie!!

Space X may be the real achievement here, going to the moon on demand...

                                                                              

META:

How many missions to the moon have been undertaken by a Space X Falcon 9?

    

Based on the information available, SpaceX's Falcon 9 is playing a significant role in delivering payloads to the moon through various commercial lunar payload services (CLPS) missions. Here's a breakdown:   

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS):

NASA's CLPS program utilizes commercial companies to deliver payloads to the lunar surface. SpaceX's Falcon 9 is a key launch provider for these missions.   

For example, Falcon 9 has launched missions for companies like Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace, which are sending lunar landers to the moon.   

There are scheduled and completed missions where the Falcon 9 is used to send lunar landers.   

Key Missions:

It has been used to launch Intuitive machines lunar landers.   

It has been used to launch Firefly aerospace lunar landers.   

It is important to note that SpaceX is also developing its Starship vehicle, which is designed for crewed lunar landings as part of NASA's Artemis program. So while the Falcon 9 is used for delivering payloads, Starship is planned for the Human landings.   

Therefore, the Falcon 9 is actively involved in delivering payloads to the moon, and is a key component of the current increase in lunar missions.

COPILOT:

Tell me about the Hakuto-R Mission 2...

The Hakuto-R Mission 2, also known as Resilience, is a robotic lunar landing mission developed by the Japanese company ispace. The mission was launched on January 15, 2025, at 06:11:39 UTC (1:11:39 am EST) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket. The lander, named Resilience, is designed to deliver a new micro rover and other payloads to the Moon.

The mission aims to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface and demonstrate technology for future lunar exploration. The lander will carry a memory disk developed by UNESCO, containing 275 languages and other cultural artifacts. The intended landing site is in the far northern Mare Frigoris, allowing continuous line-of-sight radio communication from Earth.

The mission includes a 5 kg (11 lb) rover called Tenacious, designed and manufactured in Luxembourg, which will explore the area around the landing site. The rover will carry a miniature artwork called Moonhouse, designed by Mikael Genberg, which will be deposited on the lunar surface.

                                                                            

META AI:

Has this mission been completed successfully?

The Hakuto-R Mission 2 has achieved several milestones, but its overall success is still pending. The mission launched on January 15, 2025, and the RESILIENCE lunar lander successfully deployed from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ¹ ².

The lander has since completed a historic lunar flyby, coming within approximately 8,400 kilometers of the Moon's surface on February 15, 2025 ³. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the mission.

However, the ultimate success of the mission hinges on the lander's ability to successfully insert into lunar orbit and deploy the TENACIOUS micro rover on the lunar surface. As of now, the lander is on a trajectory out to deep space before completing orbital maneuvers that will bring it back towards the Moon in advance of lunar orbit insertion, expected around early May ³.