Challenges Faced by Moon Landers: Toppling Over and Missed Laser Range-finders
Moon landings have always been a challenging endeavor, and recent incidents have highlighted two major obstacles faced by lunar landers: toppling over and missed laser range-finders. In the past two months, two separate Moon landers successfully made it to the lunar surface but failed to stick the landing, resulting in embarrassing falls.
The first incident involved NASA’s Odysseus lander, built and operated by Houston-based space company Intuitive Machines. After reaching the surface, the lander kept moving sideways, scraping along the lunar terrain before ultimately toppling over. The New York Times reports that the lander’s considerable height of 14 feet, including solar arrays, may have contributed to its instability. Such a tall and top-heavy structure is naturally prone to struggling to stay upright.
However, the challenges did not end there. The lander was also missing crucial data during its descent. Its laser instruments, designed to measure altitude, stopped working, leading to the continued sideways movement that sealed its fate. Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus expressed regret over this setback, stating, “If we would have had the laser range-finders, we would have nailed the landing.”
Former NASA engineer Philip Metzger offered his own explanation for the difficulties faced by lunar landers. He tweeted that the “lunar environment makes everything tippier.” In lunar gravity, even a slight side motion can cause a lander of considerable size to tip over. Metzger argued that landing legs on the Moon would need to be two and a half times wider at the bottom compared to those on Earth. He emphasized that while NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services contractors were likely aware of this challenge and designed accordingly, the Moon’s unique conditions make tipping more frequent than on Earth.
Intuitive Machines was well aware of the height of its lander and had to consider various factors during the design process. Engineers had to account for the overall weight, surface area of insulation, and balance when configuring the liquid methane and oxygen propellant tanks. According to Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus, stacking the tanks on top of each other was necessary for balance and stability. Spreading out the load over multiple tanks would have added complexity and potential points of failure.
Despite its height, Odysseus had a potential advantage. If it had remained upright, the solar arrays at the top would have been able to stay out of the Moon’s long shadows for a longer duration during sunset. Unfortunately, the lander’s disastrous tumble prevented it from capitalizing on this advantage.
Moon landings continue to pose significant challenges for engineers and scientists. The recent incidents serve as a reminder of the unique obstacles faced by lunar landers, including toppling over and the importance of laser range-finders for accurate landings. As space exploration progresses, it is crucial to learn from these experiences and develop innovative solutions to ensure successful lunar missions in the future.
[Image: NASA’s Moon Lander showing catastrophic damage]
In related news, new photos have emerged showing the catastrophic damage suffered by NASA’s Moon Lander. The images depict the extent of the destruction caused by the fall, further highlighting the need for robust landing mechanisms and improved stability in future lunar missions.