U.S. Returns To The Moon For 1st Time In Over 50 Years

The U.S. has returned to the moon for the first time in over 50 years as a joint effort by NASA and private company Intuitive Machines. https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1760811461943722132 From Yahoo News:

“We can confirm, without a doubt, that our equipment is on the surface of the moon,” said Stephen Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, the Houston-based company that operated the Odysseus spacecraft. “Welcome to the moon.”

Altemus had estimated that Odysseus had an 80% chance of successfully landing on the moon, citing previous failed attempts as an advantage. “We’ve stood on the shoulders of everybody who’s tried before us,” Altemus said.

It was the first American mission to land on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972 and the first private spacecraft ever to make a soft landing there.

There were a few tense moments as Odysseus approached the surface of the moon and NASA lost contact. But officials were able to confirm they had re-established contact in a matter of minutes. #whew When I was a little kid, amidst all the Apollo missions, I thought space travel was the coolest thing ever. It’s still cool. https://twitter.com/HawaiiRainwater/status/1760854094640791981 (h/t JoeMyGod)