Odysseus appears to have landed successfully
The privately built Odysseus lunar lander appears to have landed successfully near the south pole of the Moon, though ground controllers have not yet gotten full confirmation that all systems are functioning.
As stated by the mission director, after noting that they were getting a faint signal from the lander’s high gain antenna:
All stations, this is mission director on IM-1. We are evaluating how we can refine that signal and dial in the pointing for our dishes. What we can confirm without a doubt is that our equipment is on the surface of the Moon and we are transmitting. So congratulations IM team. We’ll see how much more we can get from that.
Shortly thereafter the company and NASA ended the live stream.
At this time they do not yet know exactly where the lander touched down, or whether it did so without damage. The signal from the high gain antenna suggests the communications system is intact as well as the antenna, but the lack of further confirmation suggests damage to other instruments, though it is also possible that the signal is not yet firm enough to obtain data from other instruments.
More updates to follow, without doubt.
The privately built Odysseus lunar lander appears to have landed successfully near the south pole of the Moon, though ground controllers have not yet gotten full confirmation that all systems are functioning.
As stated by the mission director, after noting that they were getting a faint signal from the lander’s high gain antenna:
All stations, this is mission director on IM-1. We are evaluating how we can refine that signal and dial in the pointing for our dishes. What we can confirm without a doubt is that our equipment is on the surface of the Moon and we are transmitting. So congratulations IM team. We’ll see how much more we can get from that.
Shortly thereafter the company and NASA ended the live stream.
At this time they do not yet know exactly where the lander touched down, or whether it did so without damage. The signal from the high gain antenna suggests the communications system is intact as well as the antenna, but the lack of further confirmation suggests damage to other instruments, though it is also possible that the signal is not yet firm enough to obtain data from other instruments.
More updates to follow, without doubt.