On Thursday, a private US company launched a lunar lander, sponsored by NASA, following a recent failed attempt by a rival. SpaceX’s Falcon rocket, carrying Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander, took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre and aims to land on the moon next week. For its latest lunar experiments, NASA is paying Intuitive Machines $118 million.
The lander from Intuitive Machines is named after Odysseus from Homer, signifying the historic journey that lies ahead. A variety of organisations, including Columbia Sportswear and sculptor Jeff Koons, have contributed experiments and payloads to the mission as part of NASA’s investment.
The Odysseus lander will also carry Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Eaglecam for imaging purposes. After a week on the lunar surface, the spacecraft’s operations will conclude. After a week on the lunar surface, the spacecraft’s operations will conclude.
The CEO of Intuitive Machines highlighted the difficulties ahead of the trip while expressing excitement. NASA is still dedicated to supporting private space initiatives, despite the obstacles faced by its commercial lunar delivery service. Until now, only five nations have landed on the moon, and no private enterprise has succeeded. NASA aims at sending men to the moon’s south pole, which is close to where Intuitive Machines expect to land their 14-foot-tall lander. Despite recent failures on lunar missions, optimism remains high.
