On Thursday, at 6:23 pm ET, the United States achieved a remarkable milestone by landing on the Moon once again, over 50 years since the last mission. This feat was accomplished through the Intuitive Machines’ IM-1 mission, showcasing the robotic probe Nova-C, also known as Odysseus.
The Landing
As anticipated, the 4.3-meter-tall lander successfully touched down near the Malapert A crater, approximately 300 km from the lunar south pole on the side facing Earth. This achievement marked a historic moment as the first private spacecraft in history to land on the Moon. The confirmation took about 15 minutes due to an initial post-landing communication glitch.
Mission Highlights
- SpaceX launched the lunar landing module, manufactured by Intuitive Machines, one week ago.
- The spacecraft, named Nova-C (Odysseus), successfully landed on the lunar surface.
- The IM-1 mission became historic as the first private spacecraft to land on the Moon.
- It also marked the return of the United States to the Moon after more than half a century, following the failure of the Astrobotics’ Peregrine module in January.
Mission Payload
The IM-1 mission aimed to position the Nova-C lander near the Malapert A impact crater, an area of significant interest for scientists and lunar exploration enthusiasts due to its believed abundance of water ice. Odysseus carried six scientific instruments from NASA, facilitated through the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
NASA’s instruments included a laser-based descent and landing sensor, a camera system to detail the plume generated during the lunar landing, and a new “space-age fuel gauge” to measure remaining propellant in the landing module’s tanks—an especially challenging task in the microgravity environment.
Additional independent experiments were also part of the payload, contributing to advancements in lunar exploration paralleling those achieved by government initiatives from Russia (during the Soviet era), the United States, China, India, and more recently, Japan.
Choice of Landing Site
Malapert A was the second choice for the mission’s landing site. The initial preference was the Oceanus Procellarum, the largest lunar basaltic plain and a potential landing site for the Artemis program. However, due to concerns about contaminating the region, Intuitive Machines shifted the landing site to Malapert A last year. This location, being relatively flat, was considered a safe landing area.
Mission Duration
The IM-1 mission is expected to last approximately half a lunar day, equivalent to about seven Earth days. The landing region experiences temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Celsius during the day, with built-in radiators expected to protect the spacecraft from overheating. However, the lunar lander cannot endure a cold lunar night as it lacks onboard heaters to maintain electronic components at operational temperatures. Scientists hope observations will continue until the battery depletes, lasting a few hours after sunset.
