A private U.S. lunar lander successfully reached the moon and entered a low orbit on Wednesday, setting the stage for a monumental landing on the lunar surface. This achievement, if successful, would mark the first time the United States has landed on the moon since the conclusion of the Apollo program in 1972. The company behind the mission, Intuitive Machines, is poised to become the first private entity to achieve a successful moon landing.
The lander, named Odysseus, was launched last week and executed a critical engine firing on the far side of the moon while out of contact with Earth. Flight controllers at the company's headquarters in Houston anxiously awaited confirmation that the lander had successfully entered orbit around the moon, carrying experiments from NASA and other clients.
