Astronomy Picture of the Day - Odysseus to the Moon

NASA ^ | 24 Feb, 2024 | Image Credit: Intuitive Machines

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: Intuitive Machines' robotic lander Odysseus has accomplished the first U.S. landing on the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Launched on a SpaceX rocket on February 15, the phone booth sized lander reached lunar orbit on the 21st and touched down on the lunar surface at 6:23 pm ET on February 22nd. Its landing region is about 300 kilometers north of the Moon's south pole, near a crater designated Malapert A. Resting on its side, the lander is presently collecting solar power and transmitting data back to the Intuitive Machines' mission control center in Houston. The mission marks the first commercial uncrewed landing on the Moon. Prior to landing, Odysseus’ camera captured this extreme wide angle image (landing legs visible at right) as it flew over Schomberger crater some 200 kilometers from its landing site. Odysseus was still about 10 kilometers above the lunar surface.

[MtnClimber]

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[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list.

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

[Telepathic Intruder]

Clearly fake since there are no moon aliens waving “hello” and trying to get autographs.

[MtnClimber]

Clearly fake since there are no moon aliens waving “hello” and trying to get autographs.

I noticed that too.

[Repeal The 17th]

“...the phone booth sized lander...
-
What is this ‘phone booth’ of which they speak?

[Telepathic Intruder]

It’s only phone booth sized on the outside.

[Big Red Badger]

Some Brit SciFi outhouse!

[sauropod]

.

[eclecticEel]

I guess a ‘phone booth’ must be some weird brand of phone case, so not very big.

[Reily]

I thought I read somewhere it didn’t land properly - not vertically. Correct me if I’m wrong!

[Telepathic Intruder]

Somewhat sideways but they say it’s still functional.

[Reily]

Thanks!

[FlingWingFlyer]

The moon really changed since the last time we were there. It really looks different.

[KarlInOhio]

Clearly fake since there are no moon aliens waving “hello” and trying to get autographs. They're laughing just out of view after their space probe tipping prank. They flipped the Japanese one all the way over.