As of: February 23, 2024, 4:46 a.m
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A US company made history tonight: the first US moon landing since the end of the Apollo program and the first private moon landing.
The American company Intuitive Machines made a soft landing on the moon during the night (February 23 at 12:24 a.m. CET).
The mission of the “Odysseus” space probe made history: It is the first US moon landing since 1972 and the first private moon landing of all time.
The landing was successful - even more than 50 years after the “Apollo” program, moon landings are still considered difficult.
Summary from February 23rd, 12:52 a.m.:
After Japan's successful moon landing in January, a private US company has now followed suit and soft-landed its space probe "Odysseus" on the moon.
Today in the USA several parties can celebrate: Of course Intuitive Machines, the company that built the space probe, planned and carried out the mission and has now made history.
For the first time, a company has succeeded in landing on the moon - three attempts have failed in recent years.
But NASA can also be happy: The US space organization co-financed the development of the space probe and sent six instruments to the moon, which are intended to further advance human space travel to the Earth's satellite.
This calculation worked out - while Astrobotic's first attempt in January failed.
There are more missions with NASA participation coming up in 2024 – the run to the moon continues.
First US moon landing since “Apollo”: Intuitive Machines makes history
Update from February 23rd, 12:40 a.m.:
The US company Intuitive Machines has just made history: The first US moon landing since 1972 and the first private moon landing ever has just been successful - even though there were technical problems in the meantime.
Included are, among other things, six NASA instruments.
Update from February 23rd, 12:38 a.m.:
There is the confirmation!
“Odysseus” broadcasts from the moon.
The landing was successful.
Update from February 23rd, 12:29 a.m.:
There is still no confirmation of the successful moon landing.
Anxious waiting – what does that mean?
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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
Update from February 23rd, 12:24 a.m.:
The “Odysseus” space probe has arrived on the moon.
All that's missing is confirmation as to whether the landing went well.
Moon landing: “Odysseus” is on the moon – but was the landing successful?
Update from February 23rd, 12:23 a.m.:
The space probe has now rotated, that is confirmed.
Update from February 23rd, 12:20 a.m.:
Everything still looks good.
The space probe would have to rotate at any moment and then begin its descent soon.
Then things get hectic.
Update from February 23rd, 12:16 a.m.:
So far everything seems to be going smoothly.
But there are still eight minutes until landing.
Update from February 23rd, 12:11 a.m.:
The spacecraft's engine has now started working.
It will burn for about 11 minutes to slow down “Ulysses.”
Now things are getting serious: the moon landing begins
Update from February 23rd, 12:06 a.m.:
The lander's motorized descent to the moon will begin in five minutes.
Update from February 23rd, 12:05 a.m.:
There are now less than 30 kilometers between the lunar lander “Odysseus” and the lunar surface.
Update from February 22nd, 11:51 p.m.:
Apparently the “Odysseus” lunar lander has problems with the sensors that are supposed to measure height and horizontal movement.
The sensors are important for the landing - and the reason why the landing was delayed.
One of NASA's instruments is now apparently being used for the landing.
Simulation of the moon landing.
© Screenshot Youtube/Intuitive Machines
Update from February 22nd, 11:45 p.m.:
The lunar lander “Odysseus” currently has a speed of almost 6,000 km/h and is still almost 76 kilometers from the moon.
Update from February 22nd, 11:43 p.m.:
Why is “Ulysses” actually planned to land at the south pole of the moon?
The research assumes that there is water ice there - an important resource for future crew missions to the moon.
That's why NASA wants to land there on its next missions - and that's why the unmanned missions that will transport cargo to the moon for NASA in the future should land there now.
Update from February 22nd, 11:36 p.m.:
In less than an hour, the “Odysseus” space probe should have come to a gentle stop on the moon.
Will the landing be successful?
Even today - more than 50 years after NASA's "Apollo" missions - moon landings are still difficult...
Update from February 22nd, 11:23 p.m.:
Entry into the relegation orbit will begin at any moment.
The moon landing is scheduled to take place an hour later.
Moon landing by Intuitive Machines in the live stream
Update from February 22nd, 11:10 p.m.:
An update from Intuitive Machines: The moon landing is currently planned for 12:24 a.m. (CET).
There is now also a live stream.
Update from February 22nd, 10:45 p.m.:
One of the instruments that “Odysseus” has on board comes from students at Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida.
The “EagleCam” is exciting because it will be dropped shortly before the moon landing and will be the first to record a moon landing from a “third person” perspective.
The team itself speaks of a “selfie”. In addition, WiFi will be used on the moon for the first time.
It is not known exactly when the footage of the moon landing will be released.
US moon landing: space probe “Odysseus” is supposed to arrive at the south pole of the moon
Update from February 22nd, 10:15 p.m.:
Today it's all about the lunar probe “Odysseus” from Intuitive Machines. The lunar lander is hexagonal, its feet are about 4.6 meters apart.
In addition, it is around 4.3 meters high.
Update from February 22nd, 9:43 p.m.:
The “Odysseus” space probe is scheduled to land in the “Malapert A” crater tonight.
This is about 300 kilometers from the moon's south pole.
The plan is for the lunar lander to have sunlight for up to seven days after its arrival and to be active on the lunar surface for that long.
There are six NASA instruments and six commercial cargoes on board “Odysseus”.
There is also art: the artist Jeff Koons sent along 125 small steel sculptures depicting various people who have achieved significant achievements in human history.
Every sculpture has a counterpart that remains on earth.
Moon landing tonight: NASA is also involved
Update from February 22nd, 9:20 p.m.:
Tonight's moon landing could go down in space travel history as the first private moon landing.
But NASA is also involved in the mission.
The US Space Agency has provided money from the CLPS program to help finance the development of the Nova-C lunar lander.
NASA plans to have several companies able to carry out commercial lunar landings in the future.
NASA and other customers should then be able to purchase this service.
In addition to stimulating a “lunar economy,” NASA’s “Artemis” program is also intended to be advanced.
The plan is for people to fly around the moon in 2025 and land on the moon in 2026.
While private companies are supposed to bring cargo to the moon, NASA wants to fly the astronauts to the moon themselves using SpaceX's “Starships”.
Today's landing of the lunar probe "Odysseus" (a lunar lander of the "Nova-C" type) is, according to planning, only the beginning.
Further missions involving NASA could set off to the moon later this year.
Update from February 22nd, 8:39 p.m.:
The moon landing was first supposed to take place earlier, now it is being pushed back.
According to Intuitive Machines, the control center has decided to orbit the moon one more time before landing.
This means that the moon landing will not take place until 0.24 a.m. (CET).
Why there are so many moon landings at the moment
Update from February 22nd, 8:35 p.m.:
There have been a few attempted moon landings recently.
The Japanese space probe “Slim” last landed on the moon in January: Japan became only the fifth nation to successfully land on the moon.
India also succeeded in this in the summer of 2023; the “Chandrayaan-3” space probe also made a soft landing.
Within just a few months, two nations have joined the elite circle of nations that have successfully landed on the moon.
Previously, this only included the former Soviet Union, the USA and China.
The US company Intuitive Machines could now be the first company to break into this circle.
The Israeli company SpaceIL, the Japanese company Ispace and most recently the US company Astrobotic have failed.
You can find out why there is currently a big rush to the moon and what approach the “Odysseus” space probe is taking in an interview with an ESA expert.
Moon landing is scheduled to take place earlier than planned today
Update from February 22nd, 7:30 p.m.:
After a corrective maneuver, the moon landing is scheduled to take place more than an hour earlier than previously planned.
The US company Intuitive Machines announced on X (formerly Twitter) that a moon landing is now expected at 10:24 p.m.
First report from February 22, 2024, 6:30 p.m.:
Houston - The US company Intuitive Machines could set a significant milestone in space travel today.
On February 15, the company launched a space probe that is scheduled to touch down on the moon this evening (February 22).
If successful, it would be the first US moon landing since NASA's Apollo program was completed in 1972. Additionally, it would be the first successful moon landing by a private company after the first three attempts in recent years failed.
The “Odysseus” space probe is scheduled to land softly on the moon at 11:30 p.m. (CET).
However, the tension was already rising more than an hour earlier.
According to the lunar landing schedule published by Intuitive Machines, Odysseus will fire its engines and enter a descent orbit at 10:17 p.m.
The spacecraft will then use cameras and lasers on its underside to inspect the lunar surface and determine its exact location.
First US lunar charge since 1972 could succeed tonight
In order to ensure a soft landing on the moon, “Ulysses” must constantly reduce its speed from 1,800 meters per second (6,480 km/h).
To do this, it will use its drive throughout the entire landing process and brake continuously - a procedure that is reminiscent of the descent modules of the “Apollo” missions.
As the spacecraft approaches the planned landing site, the onboard software will select a safe zone that has a low slope and is as free of hazards as possible.
At a height of ten meters above the surface, “Ulysses” is said to only have a speed of 3.6 km/h.
The lunar module “Odysseus” also has NASA instruments with it
From this point on, the spacecraft relies solely on inertial measurements.
Cameras or lasers could be affected by lunar dust kicked up by the lander's engine.
The inertial measurement unit registers the acceleration in a similar way to the human inner ear: it detects rotation and acceleration.
The vertical descent is scheduled to begin at 11:29 p.m., culminating with the moon landing at 11:30 p.m.
About 15 seconds after landing, the flight control team on Earth can confirm the landing, according to Intuitive Machines - a significant milestone for space travel, not only because it would be the first soft private lunar landing.
There are six NASA instruments on board “Odysseus” that will accompany the landing on the moon and collect data for future NASA missions to the moon.
These missions are to be resumed in the coming years - NASA plans to send people to the moon again as early as 2026.
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