On February 21st, Intuitive Machines, a private company, successfully landed its Odysseus lunar lander on the moon's surface, marking the first U.S. lunar landing in over half a century. This achievement followed a tense few hours after the lander's laser navigation system malfunctioned, prompting the team to switch to an experimental NASA laser system.
Despite initial communication difficulties, Intuitive Machines confirmed that the lander had touched down upright. Data began streaming in a few hours later, providing reassurance that the equipment had survived the perilous descent. The landing site, located approximately 186 miles from the moon's south pole, was carefully selected for its relative flatness.
Intuitive Machines, which received funding from NASA for the mission, became the first private company to land on the moon. This success follows a string of landing attempts by various countries and private entities, including Japan's recent lunar landing and Astrobotic Technology's unsuccessful attempt last month.
Intuitive Machines' lander carried six experiments for NASA, as well as commercial payloads from Columbia Sportswear, Jeff Koons, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The lander's solar-powered operation is expected to last for a week, until the onset of the lunar night.