“Intuitive Machines”, a Houston-based company, successfully launched a privately developed moon lander into space early Thursday after a minor setback delayed the initial launch schedule.
The spacecraft, known as Odysseus, took off at 1:05 a.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, riding atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Originally planned for Wednesday, the launch was postponed due to a technical issue with the rocket’s methane fuel.
“Intuitive Machines” aims to achieve the first commercially built spacecraft landing on the lunar surface, marking the U.S.’s first moon landing in over five decades if successful.
“Odysseus” is scheduled to spend approximately a week in space before attempting its lunar landing on Feb. 22.
This mission follows a recent failed attempt by another company, “Astrobotic Technology”, to send a similar lander to the moon.
Both “Intuitive Machines” and “Astrobotic Technology” are participants in NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which encourages private-sector development of moon landers for cargo and scientific instrument transportation to the lunar surface.
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“Odysseus” will carry a combination of commercial cargo and NASA science instruments and is expected to land near the moon’s south pole, an area of scientific interest due to the presence of water ice in craters.
This initiative is part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon within the next few years.
Recent announcements regarding delays in upcoming Artemis missions indicate NASA’s long-term goal of establishing a base camp on the moon.
