<h5>Who made the spacecraft?</h5><p>A private American company has made history by landing a spacecraft on the Moon. This makes it the first US spacecraft to land on the Moon’s surface in over 50 years. The last American spacecraft on the moon landed in 1972 carrying two astronauts.</p><p>The company Intuitive Machines has built this spacecraft, and the lander named Odysseus touched down on the Moon’s south pole on 22nd February 2024. This spacecraft also became the first commercial spacecraft to have landed on the Moon.</p><p>Odysseus is an unmanned robot lander, and it has been built with funding from NASA. Odysseus was launched on 15th February 2024 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. During its landing, the spacecraft faced some problems.</p><figure class="image"><img src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/american-built-spacecraft-lands-on-the-moon%2FOdysseus.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=12d5a679-c01a-46c5-ab1a-2a081c03555d"><figcaption>An image of Odysseus in space. Photo by Intuitive Machines.</figcaption></figure><h5>What problems did it face during its landing?</h5><p>During the spacecraft's final descent, flight controllers were forced to switch to an untested landing method due to a failure with the spacecraft's automated navigation system. Thankfully, the spacecraft performed a successful landing.</p><p>Intuitive Machines reported that Odysseus has started sending data. This spacecraft is carrying several payloads.</p><h5>What payload is Odysseus carrying?</h5><figure class="image"><img src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/american-built-spacecraft-lands-on-the-moon%2FEquipment.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=08479bc1-98a3-4f4c-a655-ace4efc7cfdc"><figcaption>A piece of equipment on Odysseus. Photo by Space.com.</figcaption></figure><p>Intuitive Machines is one of several small companies recruited by NASA to transport instruments to study the Moon's surface before NASA astronauts go there again. The spacecraft is carrying six NASA instruments. It is also carrying six other payloads from other private companies.</p><p>Odysseus is outfitted with various equipment, including cameras, to examine the Moon’s surface changes caused by the engine plumes of spacecraft. It also includes a gadget for studying charged dust particle clouds generated during twilight by solar radiation.</p><p>Odysseus also has a NASA landing system that measures various things to determine the spacecraft's speed and distance from the surface. This is critical for avoiding accidents. Another piece of equipment monitors electron density near the moon's surface and its impact on certain things. These are some NASA equipment the spacecraft is carrying.</p><p>A company named Lonestar has sent a piece of equipment to the moon to test a data centre. The company is examining data storage and transmission capabilities directly from the lunar surface. There’s a dual-camera lunar imaging system that will test and verify various things, including capturing images of the Milky Way.</p><p>A time capsule has also been sent on the spacecraft to preserve human knowledge. These are some other commercial payloads on the spacecraft. Odysseus is also solar-powered and will operate for a week before it stops functioning as night falls on the moon.</p>

This is the first US spacecraft to land on the Moon's surface in more than 50 years.

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American-Built Spacecraft Lands on the Moon

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