Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk extended congratulations to the US company Intuitive Machines following the successful landing of their moon rover.
Intuitive Machines’ historic achievement occurred as their first lunar lander gracefully touched down on the moon’s surface early Friday morning. This marked a significant milestone, with the spacecraft becoming the first American vehicle to land on the lunar landscape in over half a century.
In a statement shared on X, Intuitive Machines expressed their progress in troubleshooting communications and confirmed that the lander, named Odysseus, was upright and transmitting data. The team eagerly awaited the first images from the lunar surface.
Musk took to X to offer his congratulations, commending the company on their remarkable accomplishment.
The uncrewed lander, Odysseus, made its touchdown at the lunar South Pole on Thursday, further solidifying its place in history. Carrying a payload of NASA science instruments and commercial payloads, the mission represents a significant step forward in lunar exploration.
Odysseus embarked on its journey atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida the previous Thursday.
Codename IM-1, the mission signifies Intuitive Machines’ inaugural robotic expedition to the moon’s surface, marking a pivotal moment for the company.
This successful mission revives the spirit of lunar exploration, with the last US moon landing occurring in December 1972 during the Apollo 17 mission, marking the conclusion of the Apollo Programme.
