On February 21st, Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lunar lander successfully touched down on the moon, marking the first U.S. lunar landing in over half a century. Despite initial communication difficulties, the company confirmed that the lander had landed upright.
The landing was a significant milestone for the U.S., as it marked the return to the lunar surface since the Apollo missions. It also made Intuitive Machines the first private company to achieve a lunar landing, a feat previously accomplished by only five countries.
The landing was not without its challenges. In the final hours before touchdown, the lander's laser navigation system failed, forcing the flight control team to switch to an experimental NASA laser system. The lander also had to take an extra lap around the moon to allow time for the switch.
Despite these setbacks, Odysseus successfully descended to the surface, aiming for a relatively flat spot near the moon's south pole. The lander carried six experiments for NASA, as well as payloads from Columbia Sportswear, sculptor Jeff Koons, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.