The first US spacecraft on the moon in over 50 years has run out of power near the lunar south pole. Image source: Gregory H. Revera, via Wikimedia Commons.
Moon lander Odysseus has gone dormant, running out of power a week after landing near the lunar south pole.
Odysseus is the first US spacecraft to land on the moon since 1972, more than 50 years after NASA’s final Apollo mission in 1972.
NASA paid Texas-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines $118 million USD to construct and fly the moon lander.
The American space agency tasked Odysseus to gather guidance and navigation data to inform their Artemis program.
The spacecraft launched into space on 15 February 2024, and like its mythological namesake, Odysseus’ journey was plagued with difficulties.
Before take-off, flight readiness teams failed to unlock the laser guidance system’s safety switch.
Intuitive Machines attributed this oversight to human error.
Engineers improvised a solution, rewriting software and using an experimental NASA instrument included on board to collect data and land the spacecraft.
On 22 February, Odysseus broke two antennae and one leg on touch down and fell to its side, further hindering its ability to charge its solar panels.
The moon lander was nonetheless able to transmit images and data back to Earth until it entered lunar night.
On 29 February, Intuitive Machines posted to X (formerly Twitter) that they had received their final transmission from Odysseus.
The post reads, “Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you again.”
Before its power was depleted, Odysseus completed a fitting farewell transmission. Received today, this image from February 22nd showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the universe.
Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you… pic.twitter.com/RwOWsH1TSz
— Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) February 29, 2024
The aerospace company intends to wake Odysseus when it reaches solar noon in about three weeks’ time, provided the spacecraft’s electronics survive lunar night.
Lunar nights last approximately two weeks and are freezing cold, with temperatures as low as –183 degrees Celsius.
CEO Steve Altemus said at a press conference the company “conducted a very successful mission to this point, and we expect to go to the completion of the mission as planned”.
