US spacecraft Odysseus nears first private moon landing

Odysseus aims to be the first private spacecraft to successfully land on the moon

(Image credit: Intuitive Machines)

published 22 February 2024

What happened?

Odysseus, a lunar lander built by Intuitive Machines, is orbiting the moon, aiming to be the first private spacecraft to successfully land on the lunar surface. If touchdown is successful Thursday evening, it will also be the first U.S. mission to the moon since NASA ended the Apollo program in 1972.

"The moon is littered with wreckage from failed landings," and Odysseus has already made it farther than most, The Associated Press said. Fellow U.S. company Astrobotic's lander crashed back to Earth last month after a fuel leak cut its mission short. Unlike the Apollo program, which landed astronauts near the moon's equator, Odysseus is aiming for an area of the lunar south pole being considered for NASA's crewed Artemis mission, The Washington Post said.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.