Well, that was quick. Odysseus may run out of power today given its rough landing, prematurely ending the second US mission to the Moon this year, both of which had problems. It is really amazing that we landed humans on the Moon multiple times for days at a time when you consider the wreckage added to the Moon since then. I know the south pole is a different scenario, but this is where we want to be next. It is looking more and more difficult to do.
Intuitive Machines issued its latest update yesterday:
Odysseus continues to communicate with flight controllers in Nova Control from the lunar surface. After understanding the end-to-end communication requirements, Odysseus sent images from the lunar surface of its vertical descent to its Malapert A landing site, representing the furthest south any vehicle has been able to land on the Moon and establish communication with ground controllers…Flight controllers intend to collect data until the lander’s solar panels are no longer exposed to light. Based on Earth and Moon positioning, we believe flight controllers will continue to communicate with Odysseus until Tuesday morning.
It also appears that human error was at the center of the rough landing. Reuters reported yesterday that problems with the range finders related to Intuitive Machine’s decision not to conduct a test firing of the laser system. We learned that the range finders were “…inoperable because company engineers neglected to unlock the lasers’ safety switch before launch.” This may have saved some time and money, but we now see the results.
Mike Hansen, the company’s head of navigation systems, told Reuters:
There were certainly things we could’ve done to test it and actually fire it. They would’ve been very time-consuming and very costly…So that was a risk as a company that we acknowledged and took that risk.
The company made that decision with NASA funds on the line as well. I am not sure NASA would have been so cavalier about final testing. Human error is one thing. Commercial hubris is another. The company’s shortcut is already being reflected in its stock price.
One can certainly argue that progress is being made given that the first lander, Peregrine, never even made it to the Moon’s surface. Such trials and tribulations are to be expected. Yet I wonder if that is how all of the commercial partners see it. Both Moon missions were partially funded by private sector parties who saw their cargoes either burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere and stranded in the wrong position on the Moon. Will they continue to fund such ventures given the risks? Commercial involvement is a key part of the Artemis lunar program and it could be threatened by continuing problems.
The other question is whether these Artemis-related flights will delay the upcoming crewed missions. We should know more shortly, but you can be certain all of this is being factored into timelines being prepared by NASA.
Note: NASA had a press conference the other day on the Intuitive Machines Moon mission that can be found here.
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