Houston, TX - February 22, 2024- In a historic achievement, a private spacecraft built by Intuitive Machines successfully landed on the Moon on Thursday, marking a significant milestone in lunar exploration. The spacecraft, named "Odysseus," touched down near the lunar south pole, becoming the first American lander to reach the Moon's surface in over 50 years and the first ever by a private company.

"This is a monumental day for space exploration and a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of the private sector," said Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines. "The landing of Odysseus marks a new era in lunar exploration, opening up the Moon to a wider range of scientific and commercial opportunities."

The landing was met with cheers and applause from mission control in Houston. The journey began with Odysseus launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 10th. After a successful journey to the Moon, the spacecraft entered lunar orbit on February 21st before performing a series of complex maneuvers to land on the surface on February 22nd.

Odysseus is equipped with a variety of scientific instruments that will be used to study the Moon's geology, composition, and resources. The mission is expected to last for seven days, during which time the spacecraft will collect data and transmit it back to Earth.

This successful landing represents a major leap forward in lunar exploration. It demonstrates the growing capabilities of private companies in space and paves the way for future missions to the Moon and beyond. The landing also coincides with the upcoming Artemis program, led by NASA, which aims to land the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2025.

Key Points:

• Private company Intuitive Machines successfully landed its spacecraft "Odysseus" on the Moon.
• This marks the first American lunar landing in over 50 years and the first ever by a private company.
• The landing opens up new opportunities for scientific and commercial exploration of the Moon.
• This achievement comes ahead of the upcoming Artemis program, aiming to land humans on the Moon again.