Alexander Lewis
Feb 27, 2024
With Odysseus, NASA and Intuitive Machines recently made history with the first US lunar landing in over half a century. However, the mission's timeline has hit a snag.
During the Odysseus lander's descent last week, it encountered a mishap, tipping over upon touchdown. Consequently, Intuitive Machines anticipates the lander will cease communications by Tuesday morning, February 27, cutting short the initially anticipated week-long mission duration on the lunar surface.
Following the incident, Intuitive Machines released a low-resolution image captured by Odysseus, showing its perspective of the moon's surface after the tipping event.
Read more: Odysseus Moon Lander leans sideways on Moon's surface, tipped but not toppled
The company emphasised that the lander managed to transmit images of its vertical descent to the Malapert A landing site, marking a significant achievement as the southernmost lunar landing with ground communication established.
The primary concern revolves around the lander's solar panels, expected to cease sunlight absorption, leading to a power depletion. Intuitive Machines estimates that communication with the lander will persist until Tuesday morning based on Earth and moon positioning.
In a related development, NASA shared an image captured by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft, depicting the Odysseus lander on the lunar surface. Notably, the image revealed the lander's location within a steep crater, potentially contributing to the landing challenges encountered.
The extent of data collection and transmission from the Odysseus lander remains uncertain due to its limited power supply. Intuitive Machines provided reassurance last week that some instruments onboard were operational and actively gathering data, despite the tipping incident.
