Odysseus Lunar Module Will Operate on the Moon for 24 More Hours

Although the Odysseus Lunar module remains in a tilted position after landing on the hard surface of the Moon, it will continue its activities for the next 24 hours despite this difficult situation, according to the statement made by Intuitive Machines. Private space company Intuitive Machines pulls Odysseus from the Moon’s surface by sharing some photosgave further updates on the operational time expected by the team.

Due to Odysseus’ landing position, its panels and antennas could not be fully oriented as planned, making it difficult for it to generate power and communicate. Controllers on Earth will continue collecting data until the solar panels are no longer exposed to sunlight, which is expected to happen Tuesday morning.

The challenging journey of the Odysseus Lunar module

Landing was almost impossible to achieve. At a press conference Friday, executives explained that the safety switches for the two range-finding lasers that would be used to guide the vehicle during landing had been activated, so they could not be used. Fortunately, the spacecraft was equipped with an experimental lidar system provided by NASA. Engineers working at Intuitive Machines designed a software patch at the last minute and were able to receive the necessary altitude and speed data through the NASA system, thus ensuring the safe landing of the spacecraft.

Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus confirmed during the briefing that the ground-facing side only contained a piece of artwork sent by a commercial client, meaning a work of 125 miniature moon sculptures designed by artist Jeff Koons. Problems with Odysseus’ navigation system also derailed the delivery of images from a camera called EagleCam, which was planned to be launched during the vehicle’s descent. Intuitive Machines still plans to distribute the footage later, the team at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University, which developed the camera, told CNBC.

These events once again highlight the challenges and successes of private space exploration. This challenging mission of Odysseus on the Moon surface provides important information about the unexpected situations encountered in space exploration and the efforts to overcome these situations. The work of Intuitive Machines and other private space companies like it continues to play a critical role in humanity’s journey to expand its frontiers in space.