Intuitive Machines’ moon lander, Odysseus, made history as the first private spacecraft to successfully touch down on the lunar surface since 1972. Despite a tense landing and a subsequent sideways position, the company reassured that the spacecraft remained functional.
CEO Stephen Altemus confirmed communication with Odysseus and efforts to capture the first images from the lunar surface.
The landing, though successful, encountered a glitch with the spacecraft’s laser-based range finders due to human error. Engineers improvised a solution using an experimental NASA Lidar payload, averting a potential crash landing.
Despite challenges, the spacecraft performed flawlessly during its seven-day flight to and in orbit around the moon.
While Odysseus’s sideways position poses limitations, most of its payloads remain functional. However, the condition of a solar energy panel and communication antennae remains uncertain. Nonetheless, the company expressed confidence in meeting the needs of commercial payloads and maintaining communication with the lander.
In the aftermath of the landing, shares of Intuitive Machines saw a significant decline, reflecting investor concerns following news of the sideways landing.
Despite this setback, the successful touchdown marks a significant milestone in private space exploration, demonstrating the resilience of engineering solutions in the face of unexpected challenges.
