‘Odysseus’ Moon lander

‘Odysseus’ Moon lander

News: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket recently lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, carrying the private “Odysseus” moon lander.

About
• If Odysseus completes its journey and soft lands on the Moon, it will make it the first privately-led mission to do so.
• Israel’s Beresheet attempted in 2019, Japan’s Hakuto in 2023 and the American Peregrine in 2024.
• All of them failed to land on the Moon, with Astrobiotic’s Peregrine suffered a propellant leak hours after launch and eventually burned up in Earth’s atmosphere.
• Developed by: Intuitive Machines, a private entity. 

Significance & Potential Impact
• If successful, this mission would mark a significant milestone in lunar exploration, opening doors for further private ventures and diversifying space partnerships.
• Data collected would be valuable for NASA’s Artemis program, aiming to land astronauts on the Moon by 2025.
• Will show technological advancements in robotic exploration and landing systems and explore resources and potential future Moon bases.