For the first time in half a century, Americans sent a ship to the lunar surface. The previous attempt was the legendary Apollo program and its 17th installment in 1972. This time, a private Nova-C lander, baptized as Odysseus, which belongs to Intuitive Machines, landed on the silver globe. It was launched into space on February 15 as part of the IM-1 mission. According to NASA, on the night of February 22-23, the ship landed safely near the Moon’s south pole.
What about Odysseus? Some problems have arisen
On the afternoon of Friday, February 23, it was reported that Odysseus caught one of his six feet on the surface of the Moon and fell. “It stopped on its side, leaning on a rock,” analysts say. However, as Stephen Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, assures, despite this, the lander is stable.
“Odysseus is alive and well. Flight controllers are communicating with the vehicle and ordering it to download scientific data. The lander has good telemetry and solar charging. We are still collecting specific information about the vehicle, including its general condition and attitude (orientation),” it said. in a statement published on .
Moon landing. Americans returned to the silver globe after 50 years
The last time the Americans placed a lander on the Moon was in 1972 as part of the Apollo 17 mission, the last of the legendary program. To this day, it is the only country that has sent people to the Moon. A total of 24 astronauts landed there, of which 12 stood on the surface of our natural satellite.
Now the Americans have made another breakthrough. Intuitive Machines is the first private company to successfully place a spacecraft on the lunar surface. The mission is part of the project of the American space agency NASA called Artemis. Its goal is new research into the solar system. “They are intended to help us understand the processes taking place in space and on planets, as well as to help us search for water in the Universe,” NASA wrote in a press release.
Source: Gazeta
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
