Odysseus: Landing the Moon with the Intuitive Machines Apollo 17 Spacecraft and a Blue Ghost for Human Exploration

This is the second privately-funded vehicle to land on the moon. Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander, which touched down last February, was the first US spacecraft to land on the Moon since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission, but its mission was cut short after it toppled over.

“This incredible achievement demonstrates how NASA and American companies are leading the way in space exploration for the benefit of all,” acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said. The Blue Ghost Mission 1 will improve our ability to discover more science, but it will also improve the safety of our instruments for future human exploration, both in the short and long term.

Other companies have tried to land on the Moon before, but have been lost in space or crashed while attempting to touch down. Last year, the Houston-based company Intuitive Machines managed to land its Odysseus spacecraft, but it hit the ground so hard it broke a leg and tipped on its side.

The Blue Ghost is now up and running. Among them are a small drill and a ‘planetvac’ to burrow into and scoop the crumbly lunar dirt. Experiments are planned to study the moon’s dust in detail and try to keep it away from the landing site.