NASA's Latest Endeavors: From Moon Contracts to Antarctic Probes

NASA continues to make headlines with multiple ambitious projects. Intuitive Machines secured a $116.9 million contract to deliver payloads to the Moon's south pole. NASA's crew adjustments, SpaceX's Falcon 9 grounding, Boeing Starliner updates, and new robot probes targeting Antarctic ice melt are among the latest developments.

In recent science news, NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines a $116.9 million contract to deliver science and technology payloads to the Moon's south pole, boosting the company's shares by 16% after the announcement. This is Intuitive's fourth contract under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.

In other updates, NASA announced crew adjustments for an upcoming SpaceX mission to align with the schedules of two astronauts aboard the International Space Station, who had returned on Boeing's Starliner capsule. Additionally, NASA will proceed with undocking the uncrewed Boeing Starliner capsule on Sept. 6, with a return to Earth on a SpaceX vehicle slated for early next year.

Meanwhile, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has been grounded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration after a failed landing attempt during a Starlink mission. Lastly, NASA engineers are developing underwater robot probes to measure ice melt beneath Antarctica's ice shelves, a crucial project for understanding sea-level rise.

(With inputs from agencies.)