Private Spacecraft Completes First U.S. Moon Landing in 50 Years

The Odysseus spacecraft, operated by Intuitive Machines, successfully landed on the moon on a Thursday night, marking the first privately-funded lunar landing since 1972. The robotic lander touched down outside the rim of Malapart A, a crater located approximately 300km (186 miles) from the south pole. NASA had provided scientific instruments and technology demonstrations for the mission, with the primary focus being on collecting data related to space weather interactions.