IM, two hours after landing, “Confirmed that it was standing vertically.”
Data transfer begins… “Receiving the first photos of the lunar surface”
The American probe ‘Odysseus’ (Nova-C), which successfully landed on the moon for the first time in half a century, began transmitting data while standing vertically.
Intuitive Machines (IM), a U.S. private space company, said through the social network “It was confirmed that he was standing,” he said.
IM explained, “We have started transmitting data,” and “we are currently working to receive the first photo of the lunar surface.”
IM’s lunar probe Odysseus landed on the lunar surface at 6:23 PM local time and 8:23 AM Korean time on the 23rd.
Success was confirmed about 15 minutes after landing. It took time to receive the signal from Odysseus, and only a weak signal was received at first.
“We can confirm without a doubt that our equipment is on the lunar surface and transmitting (a signal),” IM flight director Tim Crane said.
This landing is the first time a spacecraft developed by a private company has landed on the moon, and it is also the first American spacecraft to step on the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972.
After the successful landing, Bill Nelson, director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), welcomed through X, “Today, America returned to the moon for the first time in half a century.”
Director Nelson said, “On the eighth day of the 250,000-mile (approximately 402,340 km) journey, IM successfully made the landing of a lifetime,” and congratulated him, calling it “a feat for IM, SpaceX, and NASA.”
They cheered, saying, “This is a victory for humanity,” and “Odysseus has conquered the moon.”
IM’s lunar lander project is part of the ‘Civil Lunar Payload Service’ (CLPS) subproject of NASA’s manned lunar exploration program, ‘Artemis’.
NASA ultimately aims to build a base camp on the moon. To this end, attempts are being made to transport cargo and scientific equipment to the lunar surface using private exploration vessels through CLPS.
Odysseus is equipped with NASA’s laser retroreflection array, lidar device, stereo camera, and low-frequency radio receiver.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.