By Intuitive Machines Inc., a space-exploration company, has said good night to its historic Odysseus moon lander and expressed hope that the spacecraft will “phone home” after enduring the cold lunar night.
Bittersweet Farewell
Odysseus, the first commercial lander to successfully touch down on the lunar surface, ran out of power Thursday, almost a week after its groundbreaking landing near the moon’s south pole.
“Before its power was depleted, Odysseus completed a fitting farewell transmission,” Intuitive Machines shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, late Thursday. “Received today, this image from February 22nd showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the universe. Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you again.”
Overcoming Challenges
Odysseus made its historic touch on Feb. 22, causing a surge in Intuitive Machines’ stock prices. The company faced various hurdles during the mission, including the lander tipping over upon landing.
However, on Wednesday, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus announced that Odysseus was successfully generating solar power. The company has also received data from all 12 of Odysseus’ payloads, including those from NASA and commercial entities.
Awaitng Reconnection
As the cold lunar night approaches, lasting about two Earth weeks, Intuitive Machines is eagerly anticipating the possibility of reconnecting with the resilient Odysseus once again.
Odysseus Lander Successfully Reaches Moon
Historic Mission Milestone
Earlier Thursday, it was announced that Odysseus lander, developed by Intuitive Machines, has successfully reached the moon. Flight controllers are currently configuring Odysseus so that it can establish communication upon awakening with the sunrise.
Scientific Mission Objectives
The IM-1 mission is equipped with NASA instruments focusing on various scientific objectives such as plume-surface interactions, space-weather and lunar-surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision-landing technologies, and communication and navigation nodes for future autonomous-navigation technologies.
Japan’s SLIM Mission Update
In January, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s uncrewed Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) also touched down on the moon. SLIM faced a challenge when it appeared to be upside down in an image captured by its rover. However, after surviving a two-week lunar night, SLIM’s communication capabilities remained intact – a feat described as “remarkable” by Space.com.
Stock Market Reaction
Following the successful mission of Odysseus, shares of Intuitive Machines have surged by 35%. The stock showed a 0.2% increase on Friday and has risen by 15.6% in the last three months, surpassing the S&P 500 index’s gain of 11.8%.
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