The Odysseus lunar lander from Intuitive Machines' IM-1 mission grabbed attention with its recent success, even though it had a tough landing that caused one of its "legs" to break, making the spacecraft lean to one side.
Intuitive Machines, a company from Texas, made history as the first private group to softly land on the moon, the first such US landing since the Apollo missions ended in 1972.
Their spacecraft, Odysseus, managed to land and send data back to Earth, showing great skill and creativity. But, because it landed in a tricky position, it couldn't get enough sunlight to its solar panels, and now it has run out of power and is waiting for the sun to come back to hopefully start working again.
“Before its power was depleted, Odysseus completed a fitting farewell transmission,” Intuitive Machines posted on social media.
“Received today, this image from February 22nd showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the universe,” the post said, adding, “Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you again.”
As they get ready for their next moon mission, IM-2, later this year with NASA's support, this experience is very valuable. This next step is part of a bigger plan called the Artemis program, which aims to work with businesses to explore the moon more and eventually send astronauts back by 2026.
