US spaceship tips over during moon landing, raising concerns
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Washington: The Odysseus spacecraft, the first American spaceship to the Moon since the Apollo era, is likely lying sideways after its recent dramatic landing, according to the company responsible for its construction.
The spacecraft touched down near the lunar south pole on Thursday in what was hailed as a historic achievement, marking the first lunar landing by a private company.
While the initial social media post by Intuitive Machines, the company behind Odysseus, claimed the spacecraft was upright, the CEO, Steve Altemus, clarified that it likely tipped over after catching a foot on the lunar surface. The spacecraft is now resting horizontally, with its top perched on a small rock.
Despite this unexpected development, Odysseus is considered a success for a new fleet of NASA-funded lunar landers designed to conduct scientific experiments, paving the way for the return of American astronauts to the Moon under the Artemis program. The landing was not without challenges, as the spacecraft's navigation technology failed, and engineers had to improvise a solution, including a software patch to switch to an experimental NASA laser guidance system.
The failure of Odysseus' laser system to turn on due to a safety switch oversight added to the complications. Despite these hurdles, the spacecraft landed successfully, delivering six experiments as part of a NASA initiative delegating cargo services to the private sector, reported AFP.
One of the challenges post-landing is the hindrance to data download from the science experiments onboard, as the spacecraft is resting sideways with unusable antennas facing downward. Intuitive Machines is working on deploying an external camera, named "EagleCam," to capture an outside image of Odysseus.
The United States aims to establish long-term habitats on the Moon's south pole, with plans to harvest ice for drinking water and rocket fuel for future Mars voyages. The success of Odysseus is crucial in demonstrating the capabilities of private industry in lunar exploration, following a recent failed attempt by another American company.
The images of Odysseus on the lunar surface are expected to be captured by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter over the weekend, providing more insight into the spacecraft's exact location and orientation.