Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lander made history with a successful moon landing, becoming the first U.S.-built spacecraft to achieve this in over 50 years and the first ever by a private company. The touchdown, near the moon's south pole at 6:23 p.m. EST, came after a nail-biting descent following a last-minute sensor malfunction. Engineers at Intuitive Machines' Nova control center in Houston delayed the final descent by one orbit to address the issue and test software patches.
Despite the glitch, Odysseus landed safely approximately 186 miles from the Malapert A crater. The team expected a delay in communication re-establishment after landing but were relieved when a faint signal was picked up by a UK antenna, confirming the spacecraft's survival. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson hailed the achievement, praising the collaboration between Intuitive Machines, SpaceX, and NASA's commercial moon program.
A detailed assessment of Odysseus' health and payload awaited telemetry analysis post-landing. Hours later, the team confirmed that the lander was upright and transmitting data, with efforts underway to download the first images from the lunar surface. This successful mission represents a significant milestone in space exploration and demonstrates the potential of NASA's commercial partnerships.
Login