Intuitive Machines' Odysseus spacecraft captured a selfie as it journeyed to the moon on February 16, 2024. The Houston, Texas-based company is set to land its Odysseus lunar lander near the Malapert A crater in the moon's south pole region at 5:49 p.m. EST on Thursday, February 22. The event will be live-streamed on NASA TV on YouTube.
Odysseus, affectionately known as 'Odie,' will be the first U.S. commercial moon lander. If successful, this IM-1 mission will mark the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972. The mission carries a scientific payload to the moon.
The spacecraft is expected to operate for one lunar day, equivalent to about 14 Earth days. The landing is timed to coincide with the full 'Snow Moon,' illuminating the Earth-facing side of the moon, including the landing site at Malapert A.
NASA has announced the live coverage schedule, starting at 4:15 p.m. EST, just over an hour before the planned touchdown. The coverage will be available on NASA+, NASA Television, NASA TV on YouTube, the NASA app, the agency's website, and its social media platforms.
Following a successful landing, Intuitive Machines and NASA are likely to hold a news conference to discuss the mission. Odysseus was launched on February 15 at 1:05 a.m. aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The IM-1 mission comes after Astrobotic's Peregrine mission faced a setback in January due to a propellant leak, causing it to crash back to Earth. Japan's 'Moon Sniper' rover successfully landed on the moon a few weeks later, making Japan the fourth nation to soft-land on the moon, joining the U.S., China, and the Soviet Union.
As Odysseus approaches its historic landing, enthusiasts are encouraged to tune in for the live coverage and witness this significant moment in space exploration.
