US back on Moon after more than half a century with private spacecraft Odysseus

For the first time in more than half a century, the United States landed on the moon. This feat was achieved by a spacecraft built and flown by Texas-based company Intuitive Machines, marking the first ever touchdown by a private player on the lunar surface.

Odysseus, an uncrewed six-legged robot lander, landed near the south pole of the moon at about 4:53 am IST (2323 GMT), the company and NASA said in a joint webcast. Odysseus has soft landed at a crater named Malapert A near the south pole of the moon.

The touchdown represents the first American soft landing on the lunar surface by a US spacecraft since the Apollo 17 in 1972.

Intuitive Machines mission director Tim Crain said that the “equipment is on the surface of the moon” and congratulated the team involved. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson lauded the accomplishment as a "triumph," saying, "Odysseus has taken the moon."

What’s next for Odysseus?

Odysseus is carrying several scientific instruments and technology demonstrations for NASA and other commercial customers designated to function for seven days on solar power before the sun sets over the polar landing site.

NASA’s payload will collect data on space weather interactions with the lunar surface, radio astronomy and other aspects which could come handy for future landing and NASA’s Artemis mission which plans to land humans on the moon by late 2026.