Tag: Commercial Lunar Payload Services

Odysseus moon lander snaps final image of a crescent Earth before dying
Technology

Odysseus moon lander snaps final image of a crescent Earth before dying

[ad_1] In a poignant moment captured amid the vastness of space, the Odysseus moon lander, operated by Intuitive Machines, sent back its final transmission before succumbing to the lunar night. With one of its legs askew during landing and power lost, the spacecraft left us with a lasting and wondrous image — a snapshot of Earth seen as a distant crescent shining against the grey expanse of the lunar horizon.The image, received on February 22nd but shared by Intuitive Machines on X on February 29th, serves as a reminder of humanity's lonely presence in the vastness of space. Despite its compromised state, Odysseus completed its mission, becoming the first commercial spacecraft to touch down on the moon. The spacecraft, funded by NASA as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLP...
Firefly Alpha Rocket Launches Successfully in 2nd Attempt; Check Ukrainian Link
Technology

Firefly Alpha Rocket Launches Successfully in 2nd Attempt; Check Ukrainian Link

[ad_1] Firefly Aerospace Inc. launched its first rocket into orbit, advancing its bid to become a reliable partner for NASA. Firefly Aerospace Inc. launched its first rocket into orbit, advancing the private space startup's bid to become a reliable partner for NASA.The Alpha rocket took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California early Saturday and successfully put three small payloads into Earth orbit, including one for the US space agency. A previous launch attempt failed in September 2021 when the debut Alpha rocket veered off course and had to be exploded shortly after takeoff. The launch follows years of engineering work, litigation and financial struggles for Cedar Park, Texas-based Firefly, one of several compan...