Analysis | Odysseus mission: why it took the US 51 years to get back on the moon
- Uncrewed robot lander, dubbed Odysseus, touched down near the south pole of the moon in a historic first for private industry
- A harsh environment, a lack of experienced lunar engineers and the need for precise last-minute adjustments added to the challenges
For the first time since 1972, the US is back on the moon.
Nasa, which paid nearly US$118 million for this mission, posted congratulations on the X social media platform: “Your order was delivered … to the Moon!”
Intuitive Machines will eventually send two additional landers to the moon in partnership with Nasa.
As national space ambitions grow and the business of space expands, firms have raced to claim the title of landing the first private craft in one piece on the moon.
02:49
Commercial US spacecraft touches down on the moon in a historic first for private industry
None was successful until Thursday. An Israeli non-profit, SpaceIL, tried in 2019, but its craft came in too fast and crashed on the surface. Last year, Tokyo-based Ispace lost contact with its lander.
