The Japanese SLIM lander is still clinging onto its unfortunate existence, surviving a second lunar night while lying face down on the Moon.
Landing on the Moon is one thing, but not getting lost on its gray, dusty surface presents an entirely different challenge. The Apollo astronauts eyeballed their way across the lunar terrain, but NASA is hoping to develop a better navigation system for future astronauts exploring the Moon.
In our top science stories this week: Writer Ed Cara looks back at the terrifying prion disease known as Mad Cow; researchers discover seamounts taller than the Burj Khalifa; and the journal that published a horrifying diagram of ‘rat dck’ explains what went wrong. —Rose Pastore
It was a topsy-turvy month in spaceflight, with yet another lunar lander falling over and an upsetting new view showing NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter missing a rotor blade, among other memorable moments.
After a nail-biting touchdown on the lunar surface that left Odysseus bent over on its side, the lander is ready for its nap. Intuitive Machines is getting ready to power down its lunar lander, with hopes that Odie may wake up once the Sun illuminates its functioning solar array again.
Following a less-than-perfect touchdown, the Odysseus lander has been spotted from lunar orbit while lying on its side on the surface of the Moon. The lunar lander also beamed back its first images from the Moon as it fights to stay alive before it runs out of power.
The SLIM lunar lander unexpectedly sprung back to life after hibernating during the freezing lunar night, sending a signal back to Earth more than a month after ending up face down on the Moon.
Things were looking good for Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lunar lander, which made a soft touchdown on the Moon on Thursday and became the first American lunar lander since Apollo in 1972. But on Friday evening, NASA and the private Houston-based company reported that Odie appeared to have landed askew and may be…
Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus is gearing up for its attempt at a potentially historic landing on the Moon’s surface later this week. Things are looking good so far for the lunar lander, which beamed back breathtaking views of Earth from space.
Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander has begun its eight-day voyage to the Moon. The mission is fraught with peril, as every previous attempt by private companies to land softly on the Moon has ended in failure. Here’s what needs to go right for this Houston-based company to enter into the history books.