Today, space-exploration company Intuitive Machines is planning to land its Odysseus Lander on the moon for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.The spacecraft launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last week from Kennedy Space Center. It has already entered the moon’s orbit.Odysseus is set to land around 6:20 p.m. on Thursday. NASA said the plan is to land somewhere near the moon’s south pole. The reason they’re targeting that area is because the south pole gives the lander a better chance to get near water. NASA says early testing and evaluation there is critical. Some of the science on this lander will also provide data for safe landings, images of when the lander touches down as well as testing of laser guiding systems. Odysseus was developed by NASA and a Houston-based company, Intuitive Machines. It is carrying tech that will help with future launches, like Artemis 3. Students from Emory Riddle University were also involved in the launch, developing the Eagle Cam system that will capture the lander’s dissent onto the lunar surface. At some point, it will thrust itself from the lander just before touching down this afternoon to capture a third-person perspective. If Thursday’s landing is successful, it will be the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in 50 years.
Today, space-exploration company Intuitive Machines is planning to land its Odysseus Lander on the moon for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The spacecraft launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last week from Kennedy Space Center. It has already entered the moon’s orbit.
Odysseus is set to land around 6:20 p.m. on Thursday. NASA said the plan is to land somewhere near the moon’s south pole.
The reason they’re targeting that area is because the south pole gives the lander a better chance to get near water. NASA says early testing and evaluation there is critical.
Some of the science on this lander will also provide data for safe landings, images of when the lander touches down as well as testing of laser guiding systems.
Odysseus was developed by NASA and a Houston-based company, Intuitive Machines. It is carrying tech that will help with future launches, like Artemis 3.
Students from Emory Riddle University were also involved in the launch, developing the Eagle Cam system that will capture the lander’s dissent onto the lunar surface.
At some point, it will thrust itself from the lander just before touching down this afternoon to capture a third-person perspective.
If Thursday’s landing is successful, it will be the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in 50 years.
