Private Org Will Attempt Lunan Pole Landing

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https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/nasa-attempt-first-commercial-lander-moon/

NASA attempts to send first commercial lander to moon

The lunar lander will launch on a SpaceX Falcon rocket

Craft made by Intuitive Machines as part of NASA's commercial
partnerships

A previous mission with the Peregrine lander failed
after launch

In less than 24 hours, NASA is planning to launch its latest
moon mission in partnership with private space companies.

The launch is set to take place at Kennedy Space Center
in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as the race to send humans
to the moon continues. Japan, China and Russia are vying
to land on the lunar surface, along with private companies,
including Intuitive Machines.

CEO Steve Altemus told NewsNation his team is ready to
make history by being the first commercial space company
to land on the moon.

. . .

OK - *somebody* needs to make a good pin-point landing
on the valuable south-polar region of the moon. It's
maybe the ONLY part of the moon worth having.

India made a fair attempt, but didn't land nearly as
close to the pole as initially suggested.

China is busy landing things on the moon. Recent
successes include the "dark side".

However, despite international laws saying that nobody
can claim/own any territory off the Earth ... hey,
come ON now. That's not how it goes. First good landings,
esp human landings, to the pole WILL count as a sort of
"moral ownership" and perhaps a right to DEFEND said
territory. China damned sure would - and it's be "We
DARE you !" to interlopers. Human norms do NOT end at
the edge of the atmosphere ; sorry, Trek pipe dream ...

At present, Musk is best positioned to deliver probes
and manned landers to the moon. His giant StarShip
has suffered setbacks and slow development but his
existing line CAN deliver. NASA keeps at its giant
rocket but, as typical to govt projects, keeps hitting
problems/delays/red-tape. Musk/SpaceX can deliver
much quicker - and the clock is running.