Intuitive Machines: Odysseus Moon lander 'tipped over on touchdown' - BBC News

The history-making robot likely caught its foot on contact with the lunar surface and fell sideways.

1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, NASAImage caption, Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, describes what he thinks happened during landingBy Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmosThe Odysseus Moon lander is likely lying on its side with its head resting against a rock.

The US spacecraft, which made history on Thursday by becoming the first ever privately built and operated robot to complete a soft lunar touchdown, is otherwise in good condition.

Its owner, Texan firm Intuitive Machines, says Odysseus has plenty of power and is communicating with Earth.

Controllers are trying to retrieve pictures from the robot.

Steve Altemus, the CEO and co-founder of IM, said it wasn't totally clear what had happened but the data suggested the robot caught a foot on the surface and then fell because it still had some lateral motion at the moment of landing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68388695

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