Your order was delivered… to the Moon! :⁣⁣

@IntuitiveMachines’ uncrewed Nova-C lander, named Odysseus, landed on the Moon on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 6:24 p.m. EST (2324 UTC). This mission, also called IM-1, is the first lunar landing as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and #Artemis campaign. IM-1 is also the first American lunar landing in over 50 years.⁣⁣

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Six NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations have hitched a ride to the Moon’s South Polar region aboard the IM-1 mission. These payloads will help prepare us for future human exploration of the lunar surface in many different ways, such as studying interactions between space weather and the lunar surface, collecting data on geolocation and navigation, and measuring how microgravity affects cryogenic propellants.⁣⁣

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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 successfully launched the Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander from Launch Complex 39A at @NASAKennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:05 a.m. EST (0605 UTC) on Thursday, Feb. 15. The CLPS initiative aims to gain new insights into the lunar environment and expand the lunar economy to support future crewed missions under @NASAArtemis.⁣⁣

The IM-1 mission team are expecting to receive images in the coming days.

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Congratulations, Intuitive Machines!⁣⁣

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Image description: A fish-eye view of the Moon’s Schomberger crater 125 miles (200 km) at about 6 miles (10 km) above the lunar surface. Taken by a color camera aboard Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander, the Moon’s grayish, rocky surface appears curved against the blackness of space. At bottom right, a portion of the lander can be seen. Credit: Intuitive Machines⁣⁣

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Credit: Intuitive Machines

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24 February 2024