Current Science News Briefs: Space Contracts, Lunar Missions, and Antarctic Probes

This summary provides the latest updates in the realm of space and science. Highlights include Intuitive Machines securing a $116.9 million NASA contract, the anticipated undocking of Boeing's uncrewed Starliner, SpaceX's Falcon 9 facing grounding issues, and NASA's development of underwater robots to monitor ice melting in Antarctica.

In a series of recent developments, NASA awarded Intuitive Machines a $116.9 million contract to deliver six science and technology payloads to the Moon's south pole. This contract, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, sparked a 16% rise in Intuitive's shares.

Meanwhile, NASA announced that the uncrewed Boeing Starliner capsule will not undock before September 6. This follows a review, and the agency disclosed that its astronauts who traveled to the ISS in the Starliner will return to Earth via SpaceX next year.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has been grounded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration post a failed landing during a routine Starlink mission. Despite a successful launch, the reusable first stage booster toppled into the ocean.

Furthermore, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is developing underwater robot probes to measure ice melting in Antarctica. A prototype of this technology was successfully tested in the Arctic's Beaufort Sea.

(With inputs from agencies.)