Odysseus, the solar-powered robotic lander, has surpassed all expectations during its mission on the moon. NASA has confirmed that the spacecraft, built and operated by the Houston-based private U.S. company Intuitive Machines, has been actively collecting data since its soft landing on the lunar surface on February 22. Despite facing challenges, Odysseus, also known as Odie, has been a remarkable success. The spacecraft, carrying payloads from universities, industry, and NASA, is slowly running out of power and is expected to be put into sleep mode on February 28. However, scientists plan to reawaken Odie in about three weeks when the sun hits the lander’s solar panels again.
Much like its namesake, the epic hero from the Greek classic The Odyssey, the spacecraft Odysseus has undergone trials and tribulations in its journey. Despite a malfunction in its autonomous landing system’s laser range finder, engineers were able to find a solution and successfully land the spacecraft on the moon. However, the landing gear broke upon touchdown, causing the spacecraft to gently tip over on its side. Despite this mishap, the spacecraft’s navigation system and shock absorbers performed as intended, protecting the lander during its landing on the lunar surface.
2024-02-28 15:44:58
Source from www.sciencenews.org