Odysseus, an American lunar lander that experienced a problematic descent on the moon, transmitted its final image on Thursday before its power depleted, announced Intuitive Machines (IM), the private company responsible for the project that marked America’s return to the Moon after more than 50 years.
The last photograph “features the crescent Earth in the background, serving as a subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the vast universe,” stated IM. According to the company, the image was actually captured over a week ago on February 22, the day Odysseus made its landing near the Moon’s south pole. However, it was only received on Thursday. “Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you again,” bid the company farewell to the spacecraft that achieved America’s first lunar touchdown since the manned Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
As the extended lunar night descends, flight controllers are unable to attempt to revive the lander for another two or three weeks. However, the outcome remains uncertain. Recently, Japan’s SLIM spacecraft, which had landed upside down in January, was successfully brought back to life.
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