Private U.S. Lunar Lander Odysseus Landing

SOURCE npr.org
A private U.S. lunar lander named Odysseus landed sideways near the south pole of the moon, cutting its mission short. Despite the landing mishap, it became the first private business to achieve a moon landing, carrying experiments for NASA.

Key Points

  • Landing mishap caused Odysseus to land sideways near the moon's south pole.
  • NASA plans to land astronauts in the same region in the next few years.
  • Odysseus carried experiments for NASA and other customers.

Pros

  • Odysseus is the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in over 50 years.
  • Landed close to the intended target near the moon's south pole.
  • Intuitive Machines became the first private business to achieve a moon landing.

Cons

  • Landed sideways, hindering communication with Earth.
  • Mission cut short due to the landing mishap.