"US Firms Set to Launch First Moon Landings Since Apollo Era"

Two private U.S. companies, Astrobotic Technology and Intuitive Machines, are set to attempt the first American moon landings since the Apollo missions, with support from NASA. Astrobotic's Peregrine lander is scheduled to launch first, followed by Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander. Both aim to deliver research payloads and experiments to the moon, with Astrobotic targeting the mid-latitudes and Intuitive Machines aiming for the south polar region. The missions are part of a broader effort to establish commercial moon deliveries and precede NASA's planned Artemis program moonwalkers, which is currently set for 2025 but may be delayed until 2027.