(Credit: Intuitive Machines)
A US-built spacecraft carrying NASA science tools has successfully landed on the Moon, allowing scientists to capture new data about its environment. NASA confirmed the landing at 6:23 p.m. ET Thursday night.
The lunar lander, also known as Odysseus, was developed by private space company Intuitive Machines, making it the first commercially built craft to land on the Moon. Odysseus is one of the Nova-C lander type created by the company.
"What we can confirm, without a doubt, is our equipment is on the surface of the Moon, and we are transmitting," Intuitive Machines CTO and Mission Director Tim Crain said in a NASA video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
"These instruments will prepare us for future human exploration of the Moon under Artemis," NASA wrote in the post.
The lunar lander is part of NASA's Artemis project, which was established to advance Moon research and eventually establish "a sustainable presence" there, with the ultimate goal of preparing for trips to Mars.
Despite some issues before the landing, Odysseus was eventually able to touch down. The spacecraft reportedly had a problem with its landing sensors that caused the Intuitive Machines team to put the autonomous lander into another orbit in an effort to resolve the issue.
NASA's livestream anchors applauded the Intuitive Machines team for the successful landing, saying it "sets a tone for American leadership and the future of a strong lunar economy."
The lander left Earth's surface on Feb. 15 via a SpaceX rocket. SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk reacted to the landing news with a one-word response: "Cool!"
During the livestream, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Odysseus "aced" the landing and called the event "a giant leap forward for all of humanity."