A privately-funded spacecraft successfully landed on the moon on Thursday, marking the first U.S. landing in over 50 years. However, initial communication was weak until flight controllers worked to establish a stronger connection.

Although there were some issues with communication, Intuitive Machines, the company responsible for constructing and overseeing the spacecraft, verified that it successfully landed in an upright position. However, no further information was given regarding whether the lander had reached its intended target near the southern pole of the moon. The company ended their live broadcast shortly after detecting a weak signal from the lander.

Tim Crain, the mission director at the company’s Houston control center, reported that they can definitely confirm that their equipment is currently on the moon’s surface. The tension in the control center was palpable.

Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus announced, “Though it was a tense situation, we have successfully landed on the moon’s surface and are now transmitting. Welcome to the moon!”

The company announced that data began streaming in two hours after touchdown.

The touchdown marked the return of the U.S. to the ground for the first time since NASA’s iconic Apollo moonwalks.

Intuitive Machines made history as the first private company to successfully land on the moon, a feat that has only been accomplished by five countries. Last month, another U.S. company, Astrobotic Technology, attempted a lunar landing but unfortunately, their lander did not make it and crashed upon reentry to Earth. These companies are part of a program supported by NASA to stimulate the growth of the lunar economy.

Astrobotic was one of the first to send their congratulations. They stated, “This is an amazing accomplishment. We are eagerly anticipating joining you on the moon in the coming years.” The statement was made through X, formerly known as Twitter.

Intuitive Machines successfully accomplished a historic landing, according to a tweet from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

In the last moments before landing, there was added tension as the lander’s laser navigation system malfunctioned. The flight control team had to utilize a new NASA laser system as a backup, causing the lander to make an additional orbit around the moon to accommodate the last-minute change.

After implementing this alteration, Odysseus successfully lowered itself from a close orbit around the moon and directed its course towards the surface, targeting a relatively even area amidst the various cliffs and craters located near the southern pole.

As the designated touchdown time came and went, controllers at the company’s command center anxiously awaited a signal from the spacecraft some 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) away. After close to 15 minutes, the company announced it had received a weak signal from the lander.

The six-legged lunar lander, made of carbon fiber and titanium, was launched a week ago. Standing at 14 feet (4.3 meters) tall, it carried six experiments for NASA. The space agency provided $118 million to the company for the construction and flight of the lander, as part of their initiative to commercialize lunar deliveries before astronauts return in the next few years.

The recent attempt by Intuitive Machines is part of a trend of various countries and private organizations attempting to land on the moon in order to explore it and potentially benefit from it. In the past, Japan, Russia, the US, China, and India have all successfully landed on the moon.

In 1972, the United States ended their involvement with the moon after the completion of NASA’s Apollo program, which successfully landed 12 astronauts on its surface. Astrobotic, a company based in Pittsburgh, attempted a similar feat last month but was unsuccessful due to a fuel leak, causing the lander to crash back into Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrate.

Intuitive Machines aimed for a location approximately 186 miles (300 kilometers) away from the south pole, at a latitude of 80 degrees. This landing site was closer to the pole than any other spacecraft has reached and is surrounded by various terrain features such as boulders, hills, cliffs, and craters. These features are of great interest as they may contain frozen water. The lander was programmed to choose the safest spot near the Malapert A crater in real time.

The solar-powered lander was designed to function for a duration of one week before the extended period of darkness on the moon.

In addition to conducting technical and navigation experiments, NASA’s Intuitive Machines also offered opportunities for other companies and organizations to participate in the lunar landing. Columbia Sportswear reserved space for their latest jacket fabric, artist Jeff Koons purchased 125 miniature moon figurines, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University utilized cameras to capture images of the lander’s descent.

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Source: wral.com