Earth Images: IM-1 Robotic Moon Lander Mission | Intuitive Machines

Earth Images: IM-1 Robotic Moon Lander Mission | Intuitive Machines

SpaceX commented: "Pretty cool when a lunar lander takes a picture of its ride to space! Wishing Intuitive Machines and IM-1 a safe and soft landing on the Moon."

The IM-1 Mission Nova-C Moon Lander, named "Odysseus", departing Earth and heading towards the Moon.

The continent of Africa is clearly visible in this view of Earth.

The IM-1 Mission Nova-C Moon Lander, named "Odysseus", continues to be in excellent health, and flight controllers are preparing planned trajectory correction maneuvers to prepare the lander for lunar orbit insertion.

Since the IM-1 Mission launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on February 15, 2024, flight controllers have been learning more about the lander and how to efficiently fly the mission to return the United States to the surface of the Moon.

On February 17th, Intuitive Machines published the first IM-1 Mission images, capturing Earth in the background as Odysseus drifted away toward the Moon.

Looking forward, Intuitive Machines expects to execute lunar orbit insertion on February 21st, with a lunar landing opportunity on the afternoon of the 22nd.

Follow IM-1 Mission Updates: 

https://www.intuitivemachines.com/im-1

If all goes well, IM-1 will become the first American spacecraft to set down softly on the Moon’s surface since the NASA Apollo 17 moon landing in 1972.

China's Chang'e 3 Mission, the first Chinese landing on the Moon in 2013, was the first spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976.

In 2023, after the Chandrayaan-3 Lander successfully soft-landed on the Moon, India became the fourth country, after the United States, Russia and China, to accomplish this.

NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative allows NASA to send science investigations and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface. Under Artemis, NASA will study more of the Moon than ever before, and CLPS will demonstrate how NASA is working with commercial companies to achieve robotic lunar exploration.

Learn more about CLPS:

https://www.nasa.gov/content/commercial-lunar-payload-services

Image Credit: Intuitive Machines

Release Date: Feb. 17, 2024

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