A Texas-based company is preparing to undertake a task that has so far been achieved only by a few national space organizations, but may soon become routine for private companies: landing on the moon.

If everything proceeds as expected, a spacecraft named Odysseus, operated by Houston-based company Intuitive Machines, will make a soft landing near the southern part of the moon on Thursday at 2249 GMT. It will then conduct experiments for NASA to aid in preparing for the arrival of astronauts in the coming years.

A recent attempt by a different American company was unsuccessful, increasing the pressure to show that private industry is capable of landing an American spacecraft on the moon for the first time since the Apollo era.

Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus stated that the United States has challenged the commercial business sector to accept risk, as they prepare for launch. He also expressed their shared goal of returning to the moon after 52 years.

The company intends to host a live broadcast on its website, during which flight controllers will announce the successful landing approximately 15 seconds after it occurs. This delay accounts for the time it takes for radio signals to travel back to Earth.

As it approaches the surface, Odysseus will shoot out an external “EagleCam” that captures images of the lander in the final seconds of its descent.

Odysseus is a hexagon-shaped vehicle that resembles a large golf cart and is supported by six legs.

On February 15, it was sent into orbit using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. It features an innovative supercooled liquid oxygen and liquid methane propulsion system, which enabled it to travel through space swiftly and capture images of Earth on its journey.

The location of Malapert A is an impact crater located 300 kilometers (180 miles) from the southern pole of the moon.

NASA aims to eventually establish a sustained presence on the moon and extract ice for the purpose of providing drinking water and fuel for rockets through its Artemis program, which is focused on space exploration from the Moon to Mars.

The U.S. government’s space organization, NASA, spent $118 million to transport scientific equipment to aid in the study and reduction of environmental hazards for astronauts. The initial group of astronauts is expected to touch down in 2026 at the earliest.

The tools consist of cameras which examine the effects of a spaceship’s engine plume on the lunar surface, and a device that studies the charged dust particles that linger above the surface during twilight due to solar radiation.

Intuitive Machines’ private clients covered the cost of the remaining cargo, which consists of 125 stainless steel mini moons created by artist Jeff Koons.

Once the spacecraft lands, the experiments will be active for approximately seven days until the onset of lunar night in the southern polar region. Due to the absence of solar power, the Odysseus will become non-functional.

Named IM-1, this mission is the second one to be launched as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. This program was established to outsource cargo services to commercial companies, with the goal of saving money and promoting growth in the lunar market.

It is anticipated that there will be four additional CLPS launches this year, making 2024 one of the most active years for moon landings.

The initial launch by Pittsburgh’s Astrobotic occurred in January, but unfortunately, its Peregrine spacecraft experienced a fuel leak. As a result, the spacecraft was eventually returned and burned up in Earth’s atmosphere.

Spaceships landing on the moon have to navigate treacherous boulders and craters and, absent an atmosphere to support parachutes, must rely on thrusters to control their descent. Roughly half of the more than 50 attempts have failed.

In February 1966, the Soviet Union made history by successfully landing its Luna 9 spaceship on the moon and transmitting images back to Earth, becoming the first country to achieve this feat.

After that, the United States followed, and remains the only country to have successfully landed people on the surface.

China has made three successful landings on the moon since 2013, during America’s extended absence. In 2023, India also reached the moon, and most recently, Japan achieved this feat last month.

Source: voanews.com