U.S. company makes historic moon landing

A moon lander built by aerospace company Intuitive Machines of Houston is attempting the first U.S. lunar touchdown in more than a half century and the first by a privately owned spacecraft

IM-1 MISSION 
Feb 15: Nova-C spacecraft, nicknamed Odysseus, launched atop Falcon 9 rocket flown by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral, Florida

Feb 22: Odysseus lands near rim of crater Malapert A, 300km from south pole

South Pole

1.6m
4.3m
Weight: 675kg

Solar array
Navigation pod
Engine: Liquid methane & liquid oxygen
Helium tank
Carbon composite structure
Heat shield
3D printed engine

Instruments: Include stereo camera to observe plume of dust sent up during landing and laser retroreflector array, which will bounce back laser beams fired from Earth

First artworks on moon: Lander also carries commercial payloads and 125 tiny sculptures made by artist Jeff Koons


Sources: NASA, Intuitive Machines Picture: NASA/JPL/USGS © GRAPHIC NEWS