Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Odysseus captured this image less than 100 feet (30 meters) above the lunar surface while his main engine throttled down
Image credit: Intuitive Machines

Mum’s the word from Odysseus – that Intuitive Machines lunar lander that plopped down on the Moon in February.

Odysseus — also dubbed “Odie” — arrived at the Malapert-A crater area on February 22, making a rough and tumble landing, tipping over at the site compromising its ability to perform all its duties.

This privately-built craft was sponsored by NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

The Intuitive Machines (IM-1) lander officially ended seven days after landing – but with a hopeful caveat.

Image credit: ILOA/Steve Durst

Call home

While not designed to survive the super-chilly temperatures of the lunar night, ground controllers had hoped the solar paneled Odysseus may spring back to life.

“Before its batteries were depleted, flight controllers tucked Odie into a configuration that could call home if various systems outperformed manufacturer expectations,” states Intuitive Machines. 

Ground teams began listening for the lander’s wake-up signal on March 20, anticipating there might be enough sunlight reaching Odysseus to possibly perk up the lander’s power system and turn on its radio system.

Rough and tumble landing of Odysseus Moon lander, damaging its landing gear in the process.
Image credit: Intuitive Machines

Radio silence

“As of March 23rd at 1030 A.M. Central Standard Time, flight controllers decided their projections were correct, and Odie’s power system would not complete another call home,” Intuitive Machines has announced.

“This confirms that Odie has permanently faded after cementing its legacy into history as the first commercial lunar lander to land on the Moon,” the statement concludes.

Take a look at my new Scientific American story – “In NASA’s Push for the Moon, Commercial Partners Soar—And Stumble: NASA’s partnership with private industry to accelerate the U.S.’s return to the Moon is delivering lunar payloads—and mixed results” – at:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-behind-nasas-commercial-lunar-hits-and-misses/

Also, go to my recent Space.com story – “Astrobotic readies next lunar lander following failed Peregrine moon mission” – at:

https://www.space.com/astrobotic-next-lunar-lander-failed-peregrine-mission

Image from International Lunar Observatory Association’s ILO-X wide field-of-view imager taken on February 22, 2024 about 4.2 minutes prior to Odysseus touchdown. It shows craters in the Moon’s south pole region as well as the IM-1 Odysseus lunar lander.
Image credit: ILOA Hawai’i