Odysseus, a lunar lander created by a private American company, is in the moon’s orbit and is slated to land on the celestial body’s surface Thursday afternoon. The landing “would put the U.S. back on the surface for the first time since NASA’s famed Apollo moonwalkers,” according to the Associated Press.
“Intuitive Machines was striving to become the first private business to successfully pull off a lunar landing, a feat achieved by only five countries. A rival company’s lander missed the moon last month.”
“The newest lander, named Odysseus, reached the moon Wednesday, six days after rocketing from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander maneuvered into a low lunar orbit in preparation for an early evening touchdown.”
“Flight controllers monitored the action unfolding some 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) away from a command center at company headquarters in Houston.”
