In a monumental milestone for private space exploration, the spacecraft Odysseus, developed by Intuitive Machines, has made history by landing softly on the moon’s south pole region. This achievement marks the first U.S. vehicle to achieve a soft landing on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
During a NASA news conference on Friday, Steve Altemus, the CEO of Intuitive Machines, provided an update on Odysseus, stating that despite a slight setback where the spacecraft toppled over post-landing, it remains in good condition. Altemus noted that Odysseus is stable near or at the intended landing site, and communication with the lander has been established, describing this as a “phenomenal” accomplishment.
However, the landing was not without its challenges. Due to the topple, Odysseus’ antennas are not properly aligned with Earth, which has resulted in limited communication capabilities and data transmission. As a result, the spacecraft has yet to send back any photographs since its historic landing.
Altemus did share one image taken during the descent, showcasing the rugged and shadowed terrain of the moon’s surface. Despite the setback, engineers at Intuitive Machines are diligently working to extract more information from Odysseus, demonstrating their commitment to advancing private space exploration.
The successful landing of Odysseus represents a significant leap forward in the commercial space industry, opening up new possibilities for private enterprises to contribute to lunar exploration and beyond.
