Odysseus Makes History as First Private Spacecraft to Land on Moon Since 1972, Lands Sideways but "Alive and Well"

Odysseus, the moon lander, made history by becoming the first private spacecraft to land on the lunar surface since 1972. Despite landing on its side due to a technical issue with one of its landing feet, the spacecraft is reported to be "alive and well" by Intuitive Machines, the company behind the mission.

 According to flight engineers, Odysseus tipped over near the end of its final descent, coming to rest sideways propped up on a rock. However, the lander is stable near its intended landing site close to Malapert A crater in the moon's south pole region. 

Mission control operators are in communication with the vehicle and are working to obtain the first photo images from the surface. Although the spacecraft's position is not ideal, Intuitive Machines is confident that they can still meet the needs of the NASA payloads and commercial payloads onboard. 

While two of the spacecraft's antennae are pointed towards the surface, limiting communication, a solar energy panel and the batteries are reported to be functioning well. Despite the unexpected landing position, Odysseus continues to operate as planned, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.