NASA

Private US moon lander Odysseus enters lunar orbit en route to historic touchdown attempt

Photo Credit: @NASAKennedy

A private moon lander, Odysseus, developed by Houston-based Intuitive Machines, successfully entered lunar orbit on February 21. The mission marks the first U.S. attempt at a lunar touchdown in over 50 years and is the first-ever by a private spacecraft.

Photo Credit: @NASAKennedy

The Nova-C lander reached a circular orbit 57 miles above the lunar surface after a seven-minute main rocket thruster firing. This crucial maneuver positioned Odysseus for its historic lunar descent.

Photo Credit: @NASAKennedy

Odysseus is set to land at crater Malapert A near the moon's south pole on Thursday at 5:49 p.m. EST. The spacecraft carries a suite of NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations.

Photo Credit: @Int_Machines

Odysseus remains in "excellent health" as it orbits approximately 239,000 miles from Earth. Mission controllers in Houston are monitoring flight data and transmitting images of the moon.

Photo Credit: @Int_Machines

Launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Feb. 15 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the mission marks a collaborative effort between Intuitive Machines and SpaceX.

Photo Credit: @Int_Machines

If successful, the IM-1 mission will be the first U.S. controlled descent to the lunar surface since Apollo 17 in 1972. It signifies the first "soft landing" on the moon by a commercially manufactured and operated vehicle under NASA's Artemis program.

Photo Credit: @SpaceX

Recent challenges in lunar missions, including a propulsion system leak in Astrobotic Technology's Peregrine lander, highlight the risks of relying on the commercial sector for spaceflight goals.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

NASA Collaboration: Although an Intuitive Machines mission, IM-1 carries six NASA payloads designed to gather crucial data for upcoming Artemis missions.

Photo Credit: @SpaceX

The payloads focus on studying the lunar environment and are part of NASA's plan for a crewed Artemis mission later this decade.

Photo Credit: @NASA

Small landers like Nova-C are expected to pave the way for lunar exploration. Odysseus will focus on space weather interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and navigation, contributing to our understanding of the moon.

Check related web stories:
Want to buy the new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra? Check out this huge Amazon discount
Samsung Galaxy S23 is available at 28 pct discount on Amazon; Check all deals and offers
Free Google courses on machine learning, AI, and more now available - just check them all out now
NASA calls for volunteers to join simulated one-year Mars surface mission