As We Await Word Out Of SF — On The Probationaries’ TRO… A Happy Update, On Athena — “5×5, In The Pipe” To The Moon’s South Pole…

The preeminent USDC Judge Alsup is right now deciding to grant the federal workers a TRO, in all likelihood, against Musk’s OPM… and because there is no audio or video feed — we offer this update, to fill space in the mean time. But it may be after 9 PM EST before we see Judge Alsup’s ruling, just to be clear.

So — here is that mission on its way to the lunar South Pole — with part of the ideal outcome to be an on-surface attempt at a Nokia cell network demonstration / proof of concept, there (all as we mentioned last night). Lovely; and here’s a bit:

…[Intuitive Machines’] IM-2 mission Nova-C class lunar lander, Athena, launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and successfully commissioned in space, marking the first time humanity has had three lunar landers en route to the Moon at the same time….

Athena has established a stable attitude, solar charging, and radio communications contact with the Company’s mission operations center in Houston — after liftoff on February 26.

The lander is in excellent health and preparing for a series of planned main engine firings to refine her trajectory ahead of lunar orbit insertion, which is planned for March 3. Intuitive Machines expects a lunar landing opportunity on March 6….

Now you know — and now… we wait — on many a front (some, eleven years on, too). Onward — smile.

नमस्ते