Intuitive machine: Odysseus’ lunar module “rolls over on touchdown”

Odysseus’s lunar lander is probably lying on its side, with its head leaning against a rock.

The American spacecraft, which made history Thursday as the first privately built and operated robot to make a soft landing on the moon, is otherwise in good condition.

Its owner, Texas company Intuitive Machines, says Odysseus has sufficient powers and is communicating with Earth.

The controller is trying to get a photo from the robot.

Steve Altemus, co-founder and CEO of IM, said it’s not entirely clear what happened, but the data shows the robot tripped on the ground and was still lateral at the moment of landing. He said that the movement of the object remained, suggesting that it had fallen.

Another possibility is that Odysseus broke his leg while falling. Indeed, inertial measurement sensors indicate that the vehicle body is in a horizontal position.

Whatever the reason for the unexpected landing configuration, the radio antenna is still pointed toward Earth, and the solar cells continue to collect energy to charge the battery system.

Coincidentally, all the scientific equipment they had planned to observe on the moon was placed with Odysseus’ side up, so they should be able to do some work. The only payload on the “other side” of the lander, facing down on the lunar surface, is a static art project.

“We expect to take photos and actually do the construction and evaluation of all external equipment,” Altemus told reporters.

“So far, we have significant operational capability, even if capsized. And that’s really exciting for us, and as a result we continue to have surface operations missions.”

The robot was aimed at cratered terrain near the moon’s south pole, and the IM team believes it came very close to its target, perhaps within 2 or 3 kilometers.

The US Space Agency’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to search for Odysseus this weekend to determine its whereabouts.

The IM mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, in which NASA pays various American private companies for cargo services to the Moon ($118 million ($93 million) for Odysseus). lb)).

All companies are responsible for financing, building, launching, and operating spacecraft, as well as finding commercial payloads to supplement NASA’s spacecraft.

Six CLPS missions were planned this year. The first, by Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic, failed. The Hayabusa lander encountered technical problems on its way to the moon and abandoned its landing opportunity. The robot was brought back to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.

Intuitive Machines has two more missions planned for 2024. In the next mission, the robot will drill into the earth’s surface. Another Texas company, Firefly Aerospace, also plans to shoot for the moon at some point in the coming months.

NASA views the CLPS approach as both a more economical way to conduct science and the seeds of what it hopes will become a thriving lunar economy.

Joel Kearns, director of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, said the Odysseus landing was a “huge accomplishment” and an affirmation of CLPS policy.

Regardless of its current capabilities, Odysseus is unlikely to function beyond early March, when the landing site is dark.

“When the sun goes down on Odi, the battery tries to keep the vehicle warm and alive, but eventually it gets frigid, and the electronics we make can no longer withstand the frigid temperatures of a moonlit night. So, in a best-case scenario, we believe it will take another nine to 10 days,” said Tim Crain, CTO and co-founder of IM.