Intuitive Machines Set to Become First Independent Operator on Moon with US$118M Mission
Nova-C class lunar lander Odysseus may make history with expected 22 Feb landing near Malapert A crater (80.2°S, 1°E), ~175 km from the peak of Malapert Massif and ~300 km from MSP; Intuitive Machines will be the fourth commercial attempt at Moon landing, following SpaceIL (Feb 2019), ispace (April 2023) and Astrobotic (Jan 2024) and the first USA landing attempt of any type in over 51 years, since Apollo 11 (Dec 1972); In addition to 5 NASA commissioned science instruments, Odysseus will carry 6 commercial payloads (clockwise): ILO-X (International Lunar Observatory Association), Lunaprise (Galactic Legacy Labs), Independence (Lonestar Data Holdings), Moon Phases (Jeff Koons, 4Space), Omni-Heat Infinity (Columbia Sportswear), and Eaglecam (Embry-Riddle)