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LUNAR LANDING TODAY

MooneyMitch

By MooneyMitch
in Miscellaneous Aviation Talk

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MooneyMitch Grand Master

MooneyMitch

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If all goes to plan, Intuitive Machines' Odysseus spacecraft will attempt a lunar landing Thursday afternoon, returning America to the moon's surface for the first time in 52 years.

Flight controllers said Wednesday that the lander "continues to be in excellent health" ahead of a landing attempt planned for around 5:30 p.m. EST.

A successful touchdown would make the Houston-based space company the first commercial enterprise to ever land a spacecraft on the moon. It would also be the first American moon landing since NASA's Apollo program came to an end in 1972.

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N201MKTurbo Grand Master

N201MKTurbo

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  On 2/22/2024 at 4:22 PM, MooneyMitch said:

If all goes to plan, Intuitive Machines' Odysseus spacecraft will attempt a lunar landing Thursday afternoon, returning America to the moon's surface for the first time in 52 years.

Flight controllers said Wednesday that the lander "continues to be in excellent health" ahead of a landing attempt planned for around 5:30 p.m. EST.

A successful touchdown would make the Houston-based space company the first commercial enterprise to ever land a spacecraft on the moon. It would also be the first American moon landing since NASA's Apollo program came to an end in 1972.

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Is it being broadcast anywhere?

 

PeteMc Veteran

PeteMc

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As of now (0140Z), still no contact with the Odysseus moon lander.

At one point when they were reviewing the last data they had received, one of the guys said it had initiated a 90 degree roll.  Don't know if that was part of the planned roll or an additional roll.  But that sounded like he was saying that was the last data on it's way down. 

 

toto Grand Master

toto

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  On 2/23/2024 at 1:43 AM, PeteMc said:

As of now (0140Z), still no contact with the Odysseus moon lander.

At one point when they were reviewing the last data they had received, one of the guys said it had initiated a 90 degree roll.  Don't know if that was part of the planned roll or an additional roll.  But that sounded like he was saying that was the last data on it's way down. 

 

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My understanding from watching it earlier was that they did establish contact from the UK station 15 mins after touchdown 

MikeOH Grand Master

MikeOH

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  On 2/23/2024 at 1:53 AM, toto said:

My understanding from watching it earlier was that they did establish contact from the UK station 15 mins after touchdown 

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Yeah, "weak signal"...not trying to be negative, but that really doesn't sound good.  No indication of any 'content' to that signal.  My fear is that it crashed and the antenna is not oriented towards earth, or is damaged, and the 'signal' is just the remnants of a data void carrier.

I'm hoping to hear otherwise but not holding my breath, I'm afraid.

toto Grand Master

toto

Posted
Posted
  On 2/23/2024 at 2:09 AM, MikeOH said:

Yeah, "weak signal"...not trying to be negative, but that really doesn't sound good.  No indication of any 'content' to that signal.  My fear is that it crashed and the antenna is not oriented towards earth, or is damaged, and the 'signal' is just the remnants of a data void carrier.

I'm hoping to hear otherwise but not holding my breath, I'm afraid.

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image.png.c279d8a6dbba8aabb85c60822b0ff8c0.png

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MikeOH Grand Master

MikeOH

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Ugh!  That's kind of what I was afraid of.  Sorry to hear it's on its side.  Are there any after 'landing' images available, yet? I haven't seen any.

toto Grand Master

toto

Posted
Posted
  On 2/24/2024 at 5:40 PM, MikeOH said:

Ugh!  That's kind of what I was afraid of.  Sorry to hear it's on its side.  Are there any after 'landing' images available, yet? I haven't seen any.

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Haven’t seen any either. They did publish some shots from the approach, but nothing from the ground. 

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MikeOH Grand Master

MikeOH

Posted
Posted
  On 2/26/2024 at 12:33 PM, toto said:

This sounds like a real s*** show. 

https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/moon-lander-described-alive-well-day-after-white-knuckle-lunar-touchdown-2024-02-23/

They basically forgot to remove the “remove before flight” locks on the laser range finders. 

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Yeah, sounds like they didn’t follow/have a checklist!

MooneyMitch Grand Master

MooneyMitch

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Suggestion to the Intuitive Machines engineer in-charge of activating the laser powered range finders switch  prior to launch.................maybe don't ask for a letter of recommendation from your former employer during your new job search.  :(

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MikeOH Grand Master

MikeOH

Posted
Posted
  On 2/26/2024 at 5:32 PM, MooneyMitch said:

Suggestion to the Intuitive Machines engineer in-charge of activating the laser powered range finders switch  prior to launch.................maybe don't ask for a letter of recommendation from your former employer during your new job search.  :(

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Yeah, mucking up a $118 million NASA contract might just be the mother of all 'career limiting moves':D

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