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Moon lander Odysseus tipped sideways on lunar surface but 'alive and well' |

Moon lander Odysseus tipped sideways on lunar floor however ‘alive and nicely’ |

NEW DELHI: The Houston-based firm Intuitive Machines confirmed that the moon lander, Odysseus, is “alive and nicely” however resting on its aspect following its historic landing on the lunar floor. The spacecraft made headlines as the primary non-public spacecraft to succeed in the moon and the primary from the US since 1972.
The surprising twist in Odysseus’s journey was revealed by the CEO, Stephen Altemus, who defined {that a} human error led to the failure of the spacecraft’s laser-based vary finders.Engineers detected the glitch by likelihood simply hours earlier than the scheduled touchdown time. In a outstanding show of ingenuity, an emergency repair was improvised, saving the mission from a possible crash.
Though the evaluation of knowledge indicated that Odysseus tripped over its personal ft through the last descent, inflicting it to land on its aspect, the spacecraft is reported to be secure close to or on the supposed touchdown web site, near the lunar crater Malapert A within the south pole area.
Intuitive Machines assured that communication with the lander is ongoing, and instructions are being despatched from mission management operators. The corporate goals to acquire the primary photograph photos from the lunar floor on the touchdown web site.
Regardless of the less-than-ideal sideways place, firm officers emphasised that almost all of the six Nasa science and know-how payloads on Odysseus are uncovered and receptive to communications. Nevertheless, two antennae pointed on the floor could restrict communication and the performance of a photo voltaic power panel is unsure as a result of its mistaken orientation.
The uncrewed robotic spacecraft confronted a nail-biting last strategy and descent, throughout which a navigation system downside surfaced. Flight controllers on the bottom needed to make use of an untested workaround to keep away from a possible crash touchdown.
The glitch within the laser-powered vary finders was attributed to a security swap oversight by engineers at Nasa’s Kennedy Area Heart, who did not unlock it earlier than the launch. This error was solely detected by likelihood per week later throughout lunar orbit troubleshooting.
To beat the protection lock, engineers needed to write software program directing the lander to depend on an experimental Nasa Lidar payload—another resolution that proved profitable however was employed below excessive duress.
Regardless of the challenges, mission director Tim Crain recommended the flawless efficiency of Odysseus throughout its seven-day flight and orbit across the moon. The situation and place of the lander have been initially unsure after the touchdown, however communication has been established, and the payloads are anticipated to function for roughly 9 or 10 days.
Intuitive Machines’ shares took successful in prolonged commerce, tumbling 30%, erasing the good points made through the market session after the announcement of Odysseus’s sideways touchdown.
(With company inputs)