A private spacecraft made by US Odysseus successfully lands on the lunar surface. This marks the first time a private company named ‘Intuitive Machines’ has achieved a lunar landing. Moreover, It would be the first American landing since 1972.
America’s Odysseus spacecraft has made history by landing on the moon. This milestone marks the first time in over 50 years that an American spacecraft has achieved this feat. The spacecraft is operated by a company called Intuitive Machines. Moreover, it is also the first private venture to successfully land on the lunar surface.
This achievement is significant because it’s the first soft landing by an American spacecraft on the moon since the Apollo missions in 1972. The landing site, near a crater called Malapert A, was chosen for its flat and safe terrain.
“I know this was a nail-biter, but we are on the surface, and we are transmitting“. Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus announced on a live webcast. “Welcome to the moon.”
Another company strobotic Technology is also in line to land on the Moon. Their lander, Peregrine, launched earlier in February but encountered technical issues. It has not yet been confirmed whether it was successful or failed.
Although there were some communication issues during the landing, the spacecraft made contact with the moon, according to Intuitive Machines. The company’s CEO, Steve Altemus, confirmed the successful landing and welcomed everyone to the moon.
This mission contributes to NASA’s efforts to enhance our understanding of the lunar environment, particularly in the vicinity of the moon’s south pole, which holds promise as a key location for future astronaut missions.
“Today for the first time in more than a half-century, the US has returned to the moon,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Today is a day that shows the power and promise of NASA’s commercial partnerships. Congratulations to everyone involved in this great and daring quest.”
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The success of Odysseus adds to recent achievements in space exploration, including India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed on the moon’s south pole in 2023. The IM-1 mission comes amid a renewed international dash for the lunar surface. Since the end of the Soviet-US space race of the 20th century, China, India, and Japan have all landed spacecraft on the moon.