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LRO locates and photographs Odysseus on lunar surface

Overview map
Click for original LRO image of Odysseus

Scientists using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) this weekend located and photographed Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus Nova-C lunar lander at a height of 56 miles during its first orbit over the site.

The inset in the map to the right shows the lander, with the white dot marking its landing site, several miles to the south of the planned landing site, as indicated by the yellow dot.

Odysseus came to rest at 80.13 degrees south latitude, 1.44 degrees east longitude, 8,461 feet (2,579 meters) elevation, within a degraded one-kilometer diameter crater where the local terrain is sloped at 12 degrees.

That slope could by itself explain why the lander tipped over and ended up on its side. First, it landed faster than planned. Second, Intuitive Machines designed this Nova-C lander with a relatively tall configuration, which gives it a high center of gravity. Hitting the ground fast and on such a slope could easily have been enough for momentum to tilt it over after touchdown.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


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"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

4 comments

  • Col Beausabre

    ” 8,461 feet (2,579 meters) elevation”

    OK, how do they figure out “sea level” on an object with no seas?

  • Col Beausabre asks, “How do they figure out “sea level” on an object with no seas?”

    The same way they do it on Venus, Mars, and other objects where an orbiter has obtained high resolution radar elevation data. They collect the information, find the highs and lows, and the determine the mid-point in those numbers. That mid-point becomes “sea level”, though I’ve never seen any scientist refer to it with that term.

  • Doubting Thomas

    Late this morning, Intuitive Machines posted a picture on X that was taken approximately 35 seconds after pitch over for landing. As of mid afternoon, still no pictures from on the surface. At the same time, they posted that picture, they posted that the lander “continues to communicate with flight controllers”.

    Seems like they are having band width problems getting data uplinked to earth. I suppose that makes sense if they only have 1 of 2 pairs of antenna’s in operation.

  • Doubting Thomas

    Eric Berger on his X account, says that IM expects the lander to only remain operational until Tuesday (tomorrow?!?)

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