US lunar probe “Odysseus” apparently landed on its side

The commercial US lunar lander “Odysseus” apparently tipped over during its landing and remained on its side. However, the planned experiments could still be possible.

Steve Altemus holds a model of his lunar probe to explain what it might have been like. The probe approached the lunar surface at around ten kilometers per hour and then slowly moved to the side. Then the lander probably caught one of its feet somewhere and tipped over. Probably on a stone, because according to data, “Odysseus”, or Odi for short, lies fairly horizontally on its side. The foot, however, is probably broken, Altemus, the boss of Intuitive Machines, admitted at a press conference.

On Friday night, the space company in Texas was the first commercial provider ever to place a lander on the moon, 51 years after NASA’s last mission to date. “Looking at the moon every night now and knowing that we have new equipment there now, that we were involved in it, it really was a fairytale day,” said Tim Crain, co-founder of Inuitive Machines.

But the magic could soon be gone. It is not clear whether the probe can still fulfill its tasks in its tilted position. After all, the batteries are fully charged and there is hope that the solar systems will also work and can supply the probe with electricity.

Experiments could still be possible

Additionally, the probe appears to have fallen on a side that doesn’t have many measuring instruments or much active charge attached. This could mean that she can carry out the planned experiments. But: “There are antennas that are now directed towards the ground. And these antennas cannot be used for transmission back to Earth,” says Altemus – a factor that will significantly limit communication.

The good news is that “Odysseus” landed pretty much exactly where it was supposed to – near the south pole of the moon. There he is supposed to measure, among other things, the surface, the temperature and the radiation. Because ice has been discovered at the South Pole, it could be a good place to set up an outstation. The ice could be used to produce drinking water and fuel for rockets. NASA wants to send astronauts to the moon the year after next and then head to Mars from there in the long term.