February 25, 2024 (newsletter@email.businessinsider.com)

Intuitive Machines/NASA Dispatch Back to the moon It took more than 50 years, but an American moon lander is back on the lunar surface. The Odysseus lander, made via a collaboration between NASA and commercial operator Intuitive Machines, touched down on Thursday. It followed a string of failed landings, including one just last month from Astrobotic. It’s an incredible feat of science and ingenuity. It also has the potential to fuel a new space race. The Odysseus launch was part of NASA’s Artemis program, which involves commercial giants like SpaceX and smaller companies like Intuitive Machines, which went public in a SPAC deal last year. And whereas the Apollo program was about getting to the moon, Artemis is about staying there. The goal: to pave the road to human settlements beyond earth. |