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(Washington) US Special Investigation Odysseuson the moon's surface for a week, was put to sleep at the end of its main mission, but the company that developed it, Intuitive Machines, hopes to be able to reactivate it at the end of the lunar night.
“Good night, Audi,” the Texas startup said on the X, calling the device by its nickname. “We hope to hear from you again.”
Odysseus On February 22, it became the first private probe to land on the moon's surface, and the first American spacecraft to do so since the end of the program. Apolloin 1972.
Because of a malfunction in its navigation system, it approached the lunar surface too quickly during its landing, breaking at least one of its six feet.
Once positioned, it tilted and found itself tilted at about 30 degrees. But some of its solar panels were still able to keep working and providing power.
Odysseus Since then, it has transmitted images and scientific data, including those collected by NASA instruments on board.
From the beginning, the landing mission lasted about seven days, before the lunar night settled over the South Pole, the region in which… Odysseus Real estate.
But on Wednesday, Steve Altemus, president of Intuitive Machines, said the company would try to contact the probe again “in two or three weeks,” once the sun appears high enough above the horizon.
However, it is uncertain whether the device, especially its batteries, will survive the extreme cold that is about to set in. Even if the Japanese lunar probe SLIM manages to do it this month.
Both NASA and Intuitive Machines have named the lunar residence aOdysseus Of success.
This mission, along with two other Intuitive Machines missions planned for this year, are part of NASA's new CLPS program, which has ordered several companies to move their science equipment.
Thus, the agency hopes to be able to make the trip more often and at a lower cost than developing lunar vehicles for the same purpose.
Odysseus It is that the probe has landed in the far south of the Moon, an area of special importance to the superpowers because there is water there in the form of ice that can be exploited.
NASA wants to explore this region using robots like this before sending its astronauts there, as part of the Artemis missions.
“Before the electricity runs out, Odysseus Intuitive Machines said Thursday it had sent a fitting farewell message, accompanying its message with a photo of the moon's surface taken last week, with Earth in the background.
“A subtle reminder of humanity's presence in the universe,” the company said.
“Hardcore beer fanatic. Falls down a lot. Professional coffee fan. Music ninja.”
