WASHINGTON, US, Oct 26 2026 - High school interns working on NASA's SEES program have produced propellant gauging analysis for the upcoming Intuitive Machines IM-3 lunar mission.

The analysis found reliable measurement windows for Modal Propellant Gauging during two critical mission phases: Lunar Orbit Insertion and the final powered descent burn to the lunar surface.

The SEES internship program places high school students on mentored research teams supporting active aerospace missions.

Space Nugget. Accurate propellant gauging is one of the hardest unsolved problems in deep space flight. Liquid propellant shifts freely in zero gravity, and no sensor can directly measure remaining volume reliably while a vehicle is firing its engines.