A spacecraft built and launched by the Houston-based company "Intuitive Machines" orbited the Moon today, marking the first American attempt to land on the Moon in over half a century, and the first attempt ever conducted entirely by the private sector. The spacecraft carries a collection of scientific instruments and technological prototypes for NASA, as well as several commercial clients. It is designed to operate on solar power for seven days before sunset over the landing site in the polar region.
NASA's instruments and prototypes will focus on collecting data on space weather interactions with the lunar surface, radio astronomy, and other aspects of the lunar environment for future landing vehicles and NASA's plans to send astronauts again later this decade. The six-legged lander, named "Odyssey," is scheduled to begin its final descent from lunar orbit with its main engine firing about an hour before landing. It is set to land at 22:30 GMT today, near a crater close to the Moon's south pole.
