A last-minute communications glitch caused tension at NASA as the fate of the lunar lander hung in the balance.
However, cheers erupted at mission control as NASA confirmed the successful landing of the space lander, Odysseus, on the moon’s surface.
After a nail-biting delay of about ten minutes, NASA announced that Odysseus had touched down at 10:23 AEST, marking a historic moment in space exploration.
“We are on the surface,” declared Tim Crain, the chief technology officer leading mission control. “Odysseus has a new home,” he added, eliciting jubilation from NASA staff.
Successful landing
This successful landing not only marks a significant achievement for NASA but also for American firm Intuitive Machines, which becomes the first private company to accomplish a lunar landing.
It is also the first successful US landing on the moon since the Apollo missions half a century ago.
The spacecraft, aptly named Odysseus, initiated its powered descent to the moon’s surface earlier in the morning.
This milestone achievement comes after fellow US company Astrobotic was forced to abandon its own moon landing attempt in January due to a fuel leak.
Odysseus, the private lunar lander, had been in orbit around the moon as it aimed for a precise touchdown on Friday.
Its journey began six days ago from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, culminating in a historic moment for space exploration and the burgeoning private space industry.
