For the primary time in additional than 50 years, america has landed a craft on the Moon, however the mission didn’t go exactly to plan.
Intuitive Machines constructed a lunar lander that efficiently touched down on February 22, however the firm stated it only detected a weak signal from the lander, named Odysseus. In a standing replace as we speak, February 23, the corporate stated Odysseus is “alive and properly” on the Moon.
Individuals are responding to the information with messages akin to “pics or it did not occur.” A press convention is scheduled for later as we speak the place extra particulars are on account of be introduced. Presumably there might be new photos from the floor of the Moon, too.
NASA administrator Invoice Nelson stated Odysseus touchdown on the Moon is a “triumph for humanity.”
This marked the primary time for the reason that Apollo 17, a mission to the Moon in 1972, that America has returned to its floor. That was a crewed mission. There have been no individuals on Odysseus, as this was an uncrewed mission for scientific analysis. NASA is certainly hoping to get people again to the Moon as a part of the Artemis program, however that mission is dealing with delays.
A special non-public American firm, Astrobotic, launched its personal lunar lander headed to the Moon in January. Nonetheless, issues went mistaken. The craft, which was carrying a few of JFK and George Washington’s hair, and the ashes of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, didn’t make it.
Right now, for the primary time in half a century, America has returned to the Moon
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On the eighth day of a quarter-million-mile voyage, @Int_Machines aced the touchdown of a lifetime.
What a feat for IM, @SpaceX & @NASA.
What a triumph for humanity.
Odysseus has taken the Moon. pic.twitter.com/JwtCQmMS2K— Invoice Nelson (@SenBillNelson) February 23, 2024
It’s confirmed tough to get again to the Moon for the US and different nations. In 2023, Japan’s area company bought its lunar lander inside 33 toes of the Moon earlier than it misplaced communication with the craft, with the belief being that it crashed.
NASA offered tens of millions in funding to personal firms like Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic to assist advance methods in delivering industrial cargo to the Moon. Finally, NASA wants to build a Moon base and discover new methods to stimulate the economy on the Moon.
Solely 4 nations have ever landed on the Moon–the US, Russia, India, and China.