Odysseus, a robotic lander destined for the Moon, built by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines , lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida early this morning (February 15).
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If all goes according to plan, Odysseus will land near the Moon's south pole on February 22, becoming the first private spacecraft to successfully land on the Moon. It would also be a major achievement for the United States, which has not returned to the lunar surface since NASA's Apollo 17 mission more than half a century ago.
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Center today at 1:05 a.m. About 7.5 minutes later, the rocket's first engine returned to Earth for a vertical landing at Cape Canaveral Space Center, located next to NASA.
According to a SpaceX mission description, this was the 18th launch and landing for this particular utility vehicle. The Falcon 9 upper stage continues its powerful journey into the sky. If all goes according to plan, about 48.5 minutes after launch, it will place Odysseus into a transfer orbit toward the Moon.
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The 675-kilogram Odysseus spacecraft will head into lunar orbit, a journey that will take about a week. Odysseus will then prepare for its historic landing attempt, which will take place in Malapert A, a small crater about 300 kilometers from the moon's south pole.
NASA will be watching the landing attempt with particular interest, as the space agency has sent many of its objects with Odysseus and the current mission, known as IM-1.
Odysseus carries six NASA tools to the Moon, for which it has signed a contract estimated at $118 million. According to NASA officials, the implementation and construction of the scientific equipment cost the service an additional $11 million.
Odysseus is also carrying six commercial cargoes for various customers, including Columbia Sportswear, which will test its “Omni-Heat Infinity” insulation material on IM-1.
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Among the other private cargo to be carried to the Moon by Odysseus is a set of sculptures by artist Jeff Koons and a “secure repository on the moon,” which aims to protect the entirety of human knowledge in the event of a tragic event here on Earth.
Source: space.com
