As of: February 21, 2024, 9:59 a.m
By: Tanja Banner
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The first US moon landing since 1972 is imminent, but this time everything is different.
A private company is taking the historic step.
Houston – In recent months, several space missions have set off to the moon.
Another moon landing is scheduled to take place on the night of Thursday (February 22) to Friday.
At exactly 11:49 p.m. on February 22nd, a US space probe is scheduled to touch down on the moon for the first time since 1972.
Unlike the last landing, which was carried out by NASA and accompanied by astronauts, this mission will be different.
Firstly, the “Odysseus” lander will not have a human crew as it is an unmanned mission.
On the other hand, NASA will not play the main role.
The mission is carried out by Intuitive Machines, a private space company from the USA.
If the landing is successful, it would be a historic milestone for the company from Houston, Texas: It would be the first US moon landing since the completion of the “Apollo” program and thus the “return” of the USA to the moon.
At the same time, it would be the first successful commercial moon landing.
Intuitive Machines and NASA want to carry out the first US moon landing since 1972
Despite more than 50 years since the Apollo missions, moon landings are still a challenge.
Before Intuitive Machines' attempt, there had already been three attempts by private companies to land on the moon.
Israel's privately funded Beresheet spacecraft crashed into the moon in 2019, while private Japanese company Ispace's lunar landing failed last year.
Most recently, the US company Astrobotic's attempt to land on the moon failed, with the lander "Peregrine" ultimately crashing to Earth and burning up in the atmosphere.
When the moon landing will take place
The planned lunar landing of Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lander is scheduled for February 22, 2024 at 11:49 p.m.
The company wants to offer a live stream.
The failed “Peregrine” probe and the “Odysseus” lander that is next to land on the moon have one thing in common: both are private missions that are partially financed by NASA.
With its CLPS program, the US space agency supports companies that transport cargo to the moon, so that both NASA and private companies can use this service.
NASA is sending six instruments to the moon
NASA paid Intuitive Machines $118 million to develop the lander.
In return, the agency's six different instruments are on their way to the moon, which NASA wants to use to prepare for the next manned moon landing, which was recently postponed to 2026.
Additionally, there are six commercial cargoes on board, including an art project.
Since its launch on February 15, the Ulysses space probe has traveled almost the entire 384,400 kilometers to the moon.
Now she faces the most difficult part of the mission: the moon landing.
Not only have commercial landings failed in recent years, nations have also had difficulty landing on the moon.
Recently, however, India and Japan were able to record successful moon landings.
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The “Odysseus” lander from the private US company Intuitive Machines is intended to land on the moon.
It would be the first US moon landing since 1972 and the first commercial moon landing ever.
(Archive image) © dpa/Intuitive Machines |
Nick Rios
First commercial moon landing is imminent
If Intuitive Machines' moon landing were successful, the number of successful soft landings on the moon would rise to six: five nations (former Soviet Union, USA, China, India and Japan) and one company (Intuitive Machines) would then belong to this exclusive circle .
Nasa hopes that other US companies, including Astrobotic with a planned mission, will join soon.
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