A private US company has landed the first commercial spacecraft on the moon and the first US vehicle on Earth’s only natural satellite in more than 50 years, joining previous feats by India, Russia, the United States and China.
The Odysseus spacecraft, built by Intuitive Machines, landed on the moon on Thursday around 6:23 p.m. ET, becoming the first US spacecraft on the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Bill Nelson, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator said after Intuitive Machines, a Houston-based company, landed its Odysseus robot near the lunar south pole:
“Today, for the first time in half a century, America has returned to the Moon. The lander carries a bounty of NASA scientific instruments, and bearing the dream of a new adventure in science, innovation and American leadership in space, well, all of that aced the landing of the lifetime.”
Flight Director and Chief Technology Officer Tim Crain announced amidst cheers among his colleagues and others across the country as there were some tense moments before the landing on the Moon:
“What we can confirm, without a doubt, is our equipment is on the surface of the Moon, and we are transmitting.”
As the spacecraft made its final descent, controllers lost contact with it. However, Intuitive Machines Chief Executive Officer Stephen Altemus said during the livestream:
“After troubleshooting communications, flight controllers have confirmed Odysseus is upright and starting to send data. Right now, we are working to downlink the first images from the lunar surface. I know this was a nail-biter, but we are on the surface, and we are transmitting. Welcome to the Moon.”
The landing vehicle will have seven days before darkness descends on the landing site, which will prevent the vehicle’s solar panels from receiving energy from sunlight and bring frost, ABC News reported.
Last August, India made history as its Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission became the first to land on the uncharted south pole of Earth’s only natural satellite and became the fourth country to master soft landing technology on the moon, placing it in an elite group of nations. Nelson said:
“What a feat for IM, SpaceX and NASA. What a triumph for humanity. Odysseus has taken the Moon. Today, for the first time in the history of humanity, a commercial company, an American company, launched and led the voyage up there. And today is a day that shows the power and promise of NASA’s Commercial partnerships.”
Intuitive Machines was one of several companies approved by NASA under contracts under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme to build private lunar rovers that the federal space agency will use to send instruments into space, among other things, the report said. Nelson added:
“Congratulations to everyone involved in this great and daring quest at Intuitive Machines, SpaceX and right here at NASA. What a triumph. Odysseus is taking the Moon. This feat is a giant leap forward for all of humanity.”
Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus revealed that the names of the company’s employees are engraved on the footplate to permanently imprint them on the lunar surface. He told ABC News:
“I had everyone’s name etched on the bottom of the landing gear so that their names will be indelibly printed on the moon when we touch down softly.”
NASA said the lander brings NASA science to the Moon’s surface. It noted:
“These instruments will prepare us for future human exploration of the Moon under Artemis.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, the ship is carrying NASA research instruments under a $118 million contract that is part of the CLPS programme, as well as commercial cargo, including a sculpture project by artist Jeff Koons.
The Apollo moon landing in 1969-1972 was the paradigm of a colossal programme that tackled a problem that was virtually unsolvable on a virtually limited budget – the proverbial moon mission – while CLPS seeks to harness the enthusiasm and ingenuity of budding entrepreneurs.
