A private lunar lander, named Odysseus, built and flown by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines, is expected to cease operations on Tuesday after landing sideways near the south pole of the moon. The spacecraft's mission was cut short when it landed too fast last Thursday, causing one of its legs to catch on the surface and tumble over.
Despite the unexpected landing, Odysseus managed to land within a mile of its intended target near the Malapert A crater, just 185 miles from the moon's south pole. The area is of particular interest due to suspected frozen water in the permanently shadowed craters there.
NASA, the main sponsor of the mission, paid Intuitive Machines $118 million to deliver six experiments to the lunar surface. The lander was carrying experiments for NASA and other customers, with plans to land astronauts in the region in the coming years.
Unfortunately, the 14-foot Odysseus ended up on its side instead of upright, hindering communication with Earth. This incident marks the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in over 50 years and the first private business to achieve a successful lunar landing.
Intuitive Machines' landing comes after another U.S. company's unsuccessful attempt last month due to a fuel leak. Both companies hold NASA contracts for future moon landings, as space exploration efforts continue to expand.
