The Odysseus lander, the first US-built craft to make a controlled landing on the surface of the Moon in more than half a century, technically completed its mission but will be of little use for anything else because it tipped over on landing, the company says.
CNN reports Intuitive Machines, the company that built the lander, said signals indicate the craft floated toward the surface as planned, but as it neared touchdown dropping at six miles per hour and traveling across the surface at 2 mph, the lander’s feet hit a large rock that caused the craft to settle on its side.
While the position of the craft makes communication tougher, the lander settled with a side containing a piece of artwork for a commercial client facing the ground. The solar panels are powering the unit, its radio equipment works, and many of the experiments on board are already underway, according to the company’s CEO.