Odysseus: Pictures show private US lander with a snapped leg as it descends on the Moon

Exciting new images of the moon lander Odysseus have emerged against the backdrop of the moon's South Pole.Intuitive Machines, the Houston-based company behindthe Odysseus lander, shared new photos at a press briefing Wednesday showing how the lander descended on the moon's surface. It landed in an eroded crater near the lunar south pole, tripping as it did, leading it to lean on oneside.

The new photos also show one of its legs snapped as it tried to touchdown.

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Odysseus to be put to sleep

US spacecraft Odysseus, days after its touchdown on the moon, is all set to be "put to sleep" on cold lunar nights. Until then, the moon lander will utilise solar power to remain operational.Odysseus is the first American spacecraft to touch down on the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. It achieved a soft landing on the lunar surface on February 22.

Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus expressed optimism about reviving the craft in approximately three weeks when the sunlight returns."What we're going to do is kind of tuck Ody in for the cold night of the moon, and see if we can't wake him up here when we get the solar noon," in about three weeks, he said.

Despite encountering challenges, including a tipping incident upon landing, the mission garnered praise from NASA as well. CEO Altemus highlighted the wealth of data gathered, crucial for reconstructing the mission.

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"What we've gotten in terms of data on the vehicle is a tremendous amount of the guidance, navigation control data, all the propulsion data, all the performance data for the vehicle that will allow us to completely reconstruct the mission," Altemus reportedly said at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, US.

The officials also acknowledged the uncertainties about battery functionality post-lunar night but emphasised the importance of attempting a revival."Why not try?" said Altemus.

Sending humans back to the Moon

NASA's payment towards the mission ($120 million to Intuitive Machines) aligns with its broader lunar exploration objectives, aiming to return astronauts to the Moon and advance scientific understanding, particularly regarding the lunar south pole.

Odysseus, equipped with NASA instruments, is already helping conductexperiments crucial for these future endeavours.

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Despite challenges, the mission is heralding a new era in lunar exploration. "We've fundamentally changed the economics of landing on the moon," Altemus said.

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Intuitive Machines' upcoming Moon missions, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, reflect ongoing collaboration between the private sector and space agencies.

Artemis, marking the US' return to the Moon after five decades, also symbolises renewed ambitions for lunar exploration and lays the groundwork for future space endeavours.

(With inputs from agencies)