WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon in 50 years tipped over during landing but Intuitive Machines and NASA still consider it a success.
NASA held a news conference with Intuitive Machines, the private company leading the mission, to brief the public on the status of the lander.
Odysseus, the unmanned moon lander, was carrying scientific instruments for NASA with the goal of paving the way for future exploration.
Dr. Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration at NASA, described the vessel as a “pathfinder, both for the more complicated and sophisticated robotic science landing missions that occur in the future, and a pathfinder to get data for taking our human explorers back to the moon.”
Steve Altemus, CEO/Co-founder of Intuitive Machines, talked about Odysseus’ current state.
“Odysseus continues to generate solar power. We are projecting a time where the solar power generation will not allow Ody to continue sending down telemetry,” he said.
Although the lander tipped over, it has continued to send back information that flight controllers are using to gather data about potential water on the South Pole of the moon.
NASA plans to return astronauts to the moon before the end of this decade.
