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.