Intuitive Machines, based in Houston, made headlines with its Odysseus mission, the first privately-led attempt to land on the Moon, which began on February 22. Sadly, the mission has officially ended as the company confirmed that they haven't heard from the lander since it went to sleep during the lunar night.
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Odysseus worked on the Moon's surface for seven Earth days before going into a standby mode to save power when the Sun set. This was the planned duration of the mission. Engineers hoped it would wake up again when sunlight returned during the lunar day.
However, despite waiting for a signal, the company announced on Sunday that Odysseus has remained silent for good. In a post on X, previously Twitter, they stated that they don't expect the lander to wake up. This marks the end of Odysseus's journey, leaving behind a legacy as the first commercial lunar lander.
The Odysseus mission was part of NASA's CLPS initiative, where private companies help deliver equipment and technology to the Moon. Unlike the Apollo missions that landed humans on the Moon, NASA's Artemis program aims for a more permanent presence there.
Initiatives like CLPS and the US Department of Defense’s Luna10 aim to create a "lunar economy" by utilizing the Moon's resources. It could serve as a starting point for missions deeper into space.
