“Houston, Odysseus has found his new home.”

Odysseus passes over the near side of the Moon following lunar orbit insertion on 21FEB2024.
Odysseus passes over the near side of the Moon following lunar orbit insertion on 21FEB2024.

Intuitive Machines has confirmed that the IM-1 Nova-C class lunar lander “Odysseus” touched down on the surface of the Moon today, sometime around 6:30 PM EST. The exact time of touchdown is not yet known, as the company has not yet downloaded and released data from the spacecraft.

Intuitive Machines IM-1 Now In Lunar Orbit; Preparing For Landing

T-minus one day and counting as America prepares for the historic landing of Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander Odysseus near the lunar south pole. The uncrewed mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center six days ago has so far gone off without a hitch.

Satellite Launched to Connect Indonesia

Successful liftoff of a Falcon9 carrying the HTS-113Bt satellite from LC40. Image by Richard P Gallagher

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to deploy the HTS-113BT telecommunications satellite in a geosynchronous orbit this afternoon, marking a big advancement in Indonesia’s telecommunications infrastructure. The mission launched into a beautiful blue Florida sky right on time at 3:11 pm from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

USSF-124 Launches Amid Emerging Reports of National Security Threat

USSF-124 launch may be answer to national security threat
USSF-124 Launches from Pad 40, CCSFS on February 14, 2024. Photo: Mark Stone FMN

Cape Canaveral FL. – The US Space Force (USSF) launched six satellites from Pad 40 at the CCSFS late Wednesday which will bolster America’s space defense capabilities. Ironically, the 5:30 PM EST launch came within hours of breaking news regarding a potential national security threat involving Russia’s space program.

SpaceX Delays Robotic Moon Lander Launch Due to Technical Issues

“Scrubby” graphic by Charles Boyer/FMN

Late on Tuesday evening, SpaceX, announced the postponement of the planned launch of a robotic moon lander, marking a day’s delay in what in the highly anticipated mission. The launch, initially scheduled for early Wednesday, was scrubbed less than two hours before its set liftoff time due to technical concerns, with the launch now rescheduled for at least a day later.

Romancing The Stars: SpaceX Plans Pair Of Valentines Day Rocket Launches

A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket lifts off from LC40 at CCSFS in Florida.
A SpaceX Falcon9 rocket lifts off from LC40 at CCSFS in Florida. Image by Richard P Gallagher

This Valentines Day, SpaceX is setting hearts aflutter with not one, but two rocket launches. The Falcon 9 rockets are scheduled to take off from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Polaris Dawn Flight Delayed to Mid-2024

Polaris Dawn Crew in Zero Gravity Training
Polaris Dawn astronauts, L-R: Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Sarah Gillis, Jared Isaacman and Anna Menon undergoing zero gravity training in 2022.
Photo: John Kraus / Polaris Dawn

Polaris Dawn, the initial flight of a planned series of three private spaceflights led by American entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman, has been delayed according to an announcement from the program today. “We are now targeting no earlier than summer 2024 for launch of Polaris Dawn, the first of the Polaris Program’s three human spaceflights,” they said in a post on the X platform.

NASA’s New Missions to the Moon – Far From Routine

Photo of crashed lander on the moon
A landing attempt by India in 2019 resulted in a “smoking hole” on the lunar surface. Photo: NASA/ASU

Most Americans are able to recall that the United States successfully landed astronauts on the Moon during 1969 and into the early 1970s.  What’s not as well known is the number of attempts by various nations to explore the Moon, whether by fly-by or actual landing…..and how many were unsuccessful.