Private spacecraft launched by Houston-based company beams its first pictures from the final frontier

Odysseus, the spacecraft launched by Intuitive Machines from Houston aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 15, has transmitted its inaugural images from outer space.

Intuitive Machines made the announcement on X on February 17, stating, “Intuitive Machines successfully sent its first IM-1 mission images back to Earth on February 16, 2024. These images were captured shortly after the spacecraft separated from SpaceX’s second stage during Intuitive Machines’ maiden voyage to the moon as part of NASA’s CLPS initiative.”

Under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program (CLPS), private robotic moon landers like Odysseus are permitted to transport scientific instruments for the agency. The Nova-C lander, known as Odysseus, is currently en route to the moon as part of its IM-1 mission, carrying six experiments and technology demonstrations from NASA along with six private payloads. These instruments will gather crucial data for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a manned base near the lunar south pole by 2030.