Odysseus: A Triumphant Return to the Lunar Frontier

In a historic feat, the Nova-C lunar lander Odysseus, operated by Texas-based Intuitive Machines, made a successful soft landing near the moon’s south pole on February 22. This marked the first U.S. arrival on the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972, breaking a multi-decade drought of lunar exploration.

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), a NASA spacecraft, captured a remarkable image of Odysseus resting on the lunar surface, providing a broader perspective of the landing site. The image confirmed the lander’s location and elevation, aiding scientists in their analysis.

Odysseus encountered a minor setback upon landing, as it tilted over on its side instead of remaining upright. Despite this, the landing was deemed a success, and the spacecraft remained in communication with Earth.

The LRO image, taken on February 24, showcased the vastness of the lunar landscape, with Odysseus appearing as a tiny speck amidst a vast expanse of craters. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, a system of three high-resolution cameras, played a crucial role in capturing this impressive image.

Odysseus carried several NASA science instruments as part of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which fosters partnerships between NASA and private businesses. The mission aimed to gather valuable data on the moon’s south polar region, an area of interest due to potential water ice resources.

NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the moon, has revised its timeline, pushing the crewed mission to at least September 2026. Until then, uncrewed spacecraft like Odysseus will continue to pave the way for future human exploration.

Despite its tilted position, researchers are diligently working to extract as much data as possible from Odysseus. The lander’s solar panels are expected to remain exposed to light until Tuesday morning, allowing for continued communication and data collection.

Landing on the moon is a challenging endeavor, as evidenced by several recent attempts that faced setbacks. Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander mission was cut short due to a fuel leak, resulting in its destruction in Earth’s atmosphere. Other missions, such as Israel’s Beresheet and Russia’s lunar south pole lander, also experienced unsuccessful landings. India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission claimed a successful landing in 2023, following the crash-landing of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.

Odysseus now joins Japan’s SLIM mission, which also landed upside-down on the moon in January. Both landers have remained in communication with Earth, providing valuable images and data despite their unusual orientations.

Odysseus’s images of the lunar surface offer a unique perspective, contrasting with the expansive views captured by LRO from a distant orbit. These perspectives, both awe-inspiring in their own way, contribute to our understanding of the moon’s diverse and intriguing landscape.