US-Built Spacecraft Touches Down on Moon After Nearly 50 Years

Intuitive Machines, a private US company, has successfully landed its module, Odysseus, on the Moon. This marks the first time a US spacecraft has touched the lunar surface since 1972 and represents a significant milestone as the mission is a joint effort with NASA, signaling the return of the United States to lunar exploration.

The Odysseus module, part of the Nova-C series, touched down near the lunar south pole at 17:39 UTC, following a journey of over a million kilometers. The successful landing was confirmed by Tim Crain of Intuitive Machines during a live video broadcast, stating, "We can confirm without a doubt that our team is on the lunar surface, and we are transmitting.”.

The mission aims to pave the way for future crewed missions to the Moon by the end of this decade. Bill Nelson, Administrator, NASA, expressed the significance of the event, saying, "For the first time in more than 50 years, the United States is returning to the Moon. And for the first time in history, a private company, an American company, launched and completed the journey".

Intuitive Machines, based in Houston, reported that the hexagonal module, standing over four meters tall, is expected to operate for one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days. The chosen landing site, Malapert A, located about 300 kilometers from the lunar south pole, holds special interest for its potential water ice deposits.

NASA, in collaboration with Intuitive Machines, aims to investigate lunar surface interactions, study space weather, and conduct landing technology tests as part of the Artemis program. The program seeks to reduce operational costs and ultimately send astronauts back to the Moon.

Despite encountering challenges during the landing process, including a malfunction in Intuitive Machines' guidance tool, the successful mission underscores the growing role of private companies in space exploration. The Odysseus module, weighing 675 kilograms and standing 4.3 meters tall, was transported aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX.

NASA has invested US$118 million in this lunar mission, supporting scientific and technological instruments within six payloads on the Nova-C module. The mission, designated IM-1, aligns with NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and is an integral part of the Artemis program, set to resume crewed lunar missions.

Odysseus, equipped with instruments from NASA and carrying payloads from private clients, including Columbia sportswear and artist Jeff Koons, aims to gather valuable data. The lunar region it landed in is among the potential sites for the Artemis III crewed mission scheduled for September 2026, with NASA exploring the possibility of water ice deposits.