Intuitive Machines’ first moon mission will come to a premature end due to the spacecraft landing on its side, which altered how the solar panels are positioned in relation to the sun, the company said in an update Tuesday morning. Flight controllers were still working to determine the battery’s remaining life, which could be between […]
Historic spacecraft landing double-header from Varda, Intuitive Machines
Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch Space. My stomach is still in knots from the Intuitive Machines landing livestream. I think it’s fair to say that the words of Tim Crain, Intuitive Machines’ CTO, will go down in history: “We’re not dead yet.” Very metal. Want to reach out with a tip? Email Aria at […]
Quick thinking and a stroke of luck averted a moon lander disaster for Intuitive Machines
Intuitive Machines‘ spacecraft touched down yesterday on the lunar surface . . . sideways. CEO Steve Altemus confirmed during a press conference Friday that, while it wasn’t a perfect landing, it’s nothing short of a miracle the spacecraft landed intact at all. Using a small model of the lander, Altemus demonstrated how engineers believe the spacecraft, called Odysseus, made […]
Intuitive Machines makes history by landing the first commercial spacecraft on the moon
Intuitive Machines has landed a spacecraft on the lunar surface, in a historic first for a private company. Flight controllers confirmed the landing at 5:23 p.m. CST, though the exact condition of the spacecraft is unclear as engineers work to refine their signal with the lander. “What we can confirm without a doubt is that […]
Intuitive Machines to take its shot at reaching the moon with first private lunar lander
Intuitive Machines is looking to succeed where past ventures have failed with its inaugural lunar lander mission, which would mark the first time a private company has landed a spacecraft on the moon — ever. The mission is poised to lift off on a SpaceX rocket just at 12:57 AM EST tomorrow from the launch […]