Following a thrilling descent, the United States successfully landed on the moon once again. Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus announced, “I know this was a nail-biter but we are on the surface and we are transmitting and welcome to the moon.” The Houston-based private company is overseeing the mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on February 15. Odysseus’ destination was a flat region near the Malapert A crater, about 300 kilometers from the moon’s south pole. The spot is near one of several potential landing sites for future NASA astronauts. Despite unexpected problems during the landing attempt, engineers were able to overcome challenges and complete the descent using backup lasers from a NASA payload.
2024-02-22 13:41:09
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