Odysseus spacecraft launched by SpaceX blasts off to the Moon
SpaceX made history today by launching the Nova-C lunar lander, "Odysseus," created by private aerospace firm, Intuitive Machines. This marks the first US spacecraft to head for the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried Odysseus from Cape Canaveral, Florida and it is now en route to the Moon's south pole for a two-week journey.
Journey and landing details
Originally set for February 14, the launch was postponed due to concerns about the rocket's methane fuel temperature. After a successful liftoff, SpaceX confirmed that Odysseus was deployed and that the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage had returned to Cape Canaveral. The lander is expected to reach the lunar south pole, an area rich in water ice, on February 22.
Nova-C lander's specifications and mission
The Nova-C weighs 1,908kg and stands 4,000mm tall, and 1,570mm wide. The spacecraft is designed to operate for 14 Earth days before shutting down due to the extreme cold of the lunar night. If successful, this landing will be the first US return to the Moon in over 50 years and the first by a privately owned spacecraft.
Payloads and future implications
Odysseus is equipped with several scientific instruments for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. They include an LN-1 radio navigation beacon and a Laser Retro-Reflector Array (LRA). These tools will gather crucial data about the Moon's surface in preparation for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to send humans back to the satellite next year. Additionally, the lander carries payloads from other clients, including the "EagleCam" CubeSat camera system and an art project by Jeff Koons.