Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: Intuitive Machines

The EagleCam was ejected from the Intuitive Machines (IM-1) Moon lander – but from its landing spot some 13 feet (4 meters) away, no images of the landed craft have been transmitted.

Either in camera or in the Wi-Fi signal back to the lander, something might not be working correctly, explained Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus. So, the Embry‑Riddle team is working on that and wrestling with that to see if there’s anything they can do.”

Lunar lander list – two of six landing legs were damaged on hard landing.
Image credit: Intuitive Machines

Other data sets

According to the EagleCam team at the university, technical complications have currently resulted in an inability to acquire images of the Odysseus lander.

“However, the team has been able to collect other data sets from the EagleCam system, and these data will be analyzed and published in the near future,” a university statement explains.

Image credit: Intuitive Machines

In addition to the team’s primary mission objectives, the statement adds, they also set out to test an electrodynamic dust shield — a device meant to electrically “shake” lunar regolith, or Moon dust, off the EagleCam’s lenses — after landing.

“I think it’s a wild success. I would love to fly the EagleCam again,” Altemus said in a press briefing today. “Those students put their heart into it and it’s a really innovative design, and if we can get a picture of a landing, I would love to give it to them. So, we’ll see what happens going forward.”