A Houston-based company has achieved a significant milestone by landing America’s first spacecraft on the Moon in over 50 years. However, despite receiving a faint signal, it remains uncertain if Odysseus, the lander developed by Intuitive Machines, is fully operational.
Odysseus, the latest lunar lander, successfully reached the moon on Wednesday, six days after its launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After entering a low lunar orbit, the lander prepared for its planned touchdown in the early evening.
This hexagon-shaped vessel, part of a new fleet of NASA-funded unmanned commercial robots, touched down near the lunar south pole at 2323 GMT, decelerating from 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) per hour.
The company did not provide immediate updates on the condition or precise whereabouts of the lander. Mission director Tim Crain stated that the team was assessing methods to enhance the single signal received from the lander, Odysseus, which transported experiments to the moon for NASA, news agency AP reported
“We can confirm unequivocally that our equipment is on the lunar surface,” he affirmed, as quoted by AP.
The current mission aims to explore environmental conditions near the south pole, critical for future astronaut missions, as stated by senior NASA official Joel Kearns.
This achievement comes after a recent failed moonshot by another American company, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating private industry’s capability in space exploration, last achieved by NASA during the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
Watch video: Odysseus spacecraft makes the first commercial moon landing
When was Odysseus launched?
Odysseus launched February 15 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and boasts a new type of supercooled liquid oxygen, liquid methane propulsion system that allowed it to race through space in quick time.
Odysseus landing site
The landing site, Malapert A, lies within an impact crater located 300 kilometers (180 miles) from the lunar south pole.
Instruments carried on Odysseu
Odysseus is equipped with various instruments, including cameras to study lunar surface changes caused by spaceship engine plumes, and a device to analyze charged dust particle clouds formed during twilight due to solar radiation.
Furthermore, it houses a NASA landing system that utilizes laser pulses to measure signal return time and frequency changes accurately. This allows for a precise assessment of the spacecraft’s velocity and distance from the surface, crucial for avoiding potential catastrophic impacts.
-With agency inputs
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Published: 23 Feb 2024, 06:33 AM IST