Commercial Space Flight Successfully Lands on the Moon, Marking a New Era of Private Lunar Exploration
In a groundbreaking achievement, a commercial space flight has successfully landed on the Moon, ushering in a new era of private lunar exploration. After an eight-day journey, Intuitive Machines’ unmanned Odysseus lander touched down safely on the lunar surface near the Malapert A crater, close to the Moon’s south pole. This historic moment marks the United States’ return to lunar exploration after more than 50 years since the Apollo program ended in 1972.
The descent was not without its challenges, as mission control temporarily lost contact with the lander upon reaching the surface. However, after approximately 15 minutes, a faint signal was received, and mission director Tim Crain announced, “Odysseus has found a new home.” Intuitive Machines confirmed that the lander was upright and transmitting data, signaling a successful landing.
This achievement holds significant importance for NASA’s plans to send humans to the lunar south pole by 2026. By partnering with private companies like Intuitive Machines, NASA aims to reduce costs associated with services such as transport, navigation, and communications. Bill Nelson, NASA administrator, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “The US has returned to the moon. Today for the first time…a commercial company, an American company has launched and led the voyage up there. This shows the power and promise of NASA’s commercial partnerships. What a triumph!”
NASA believes that the establishment of a commercially viable lunar economy is crucial for its ambition of creating a permanent human base on the Moon and eventually reaching Mars. Thomas Zurbuchen, a professor of space science at ETH Zurich and former head of NASA’s science missions, stated that this landing “changes the whole paradigm of planetary exploration.” He further emphasized that with private companies involved, missions can be conducted at a significantly lower cost compared to government-led initiatives.
The successful landing of Odysseus was met with elation at Intuitive Machines’ mission control in Houston, Texas. Despite a malfunction in the lander’s laser navigation system, engineers managed to extend its orbit around the Moon using instruments from a NASA payload onboard. NASA had paid Intuitive Machines $118 million to carry six scientific payloads, including instruments for observing space weather and a radio beacon for navigation. Additionally, the lander carried six commercial packages, such as mini-sculptures by artist Jeff Koons, a camera to record the landing, and a lunar archive.
Powered by solar energy, Odysseus will conduct experiments near the lunar south pole and is expected to operate for approximately 14 days in sunlight. This mission is the first of three planned by Intuitive Machines in collaboration with NASA to prepare for the agency’s Artemis missions to the lunar south pole. The region is rich in resources like ice water, which could be utilized to sustain a permanent human presence on the Moon. It is worth noting that India became the first country to successfully land a spacecraft in the south pole region last year.
Intuitive Machines’ achievement comes just over a year after the company went public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company. Stephen Altemus, co-founder and CEO of Intuitive Machines, expressed the company’s long-term vision of providing various lunar services, including communications, navigation, and power generation. Altemus stated, “We will have the most data about the moon, the most understanding…You take that first step, and then a whole series of unpredicted and forecasted activities [follow] from that.”
Following the successful landing, shares of Intuitive Machines experienced a significant rise in value. After initially falling from their 2023 trading debut of $10.03 to $2.32 at the beginning of this year, the company’s shares closed at $8.28 on Thursday, representing an 11% decrease.
It is important to note that while Intuitive Machines achieved a successful lunar landing, another attempt by Astrobotic Technology, based in Pittsburgh, failed last month due to problems with the spacecraft’s propulsion system. The loss of fuel shortly after launch prevented the mission from reaching its intended destination.
In January, an unmanned Japanese rover also landed on the Moon. However, an upside-down landing made it challenging to generate solar power, limiting its ability to explore the lunar surface.
The successful landing of Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander marks a significant milestone in space exploration. With private companies now playing a pivotal role in lunar missions, the possibilities for scientific discovery and the establishment of a sustainable lunar economy are expanding. As we embark on this new era of private lunar exploration, the future of space travel and human presence beyond Earth’s orbit appears more promising than ever before.
[Video: Moon rush: the launch of a lunar economy | FT Film]
