machines

Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch Space. My stomach is still in knots from the Intuitive Machines landing livestream. I think it’s fair to say that the words of Tim Crain, Intuitive Machines’ CTO, will go down in history: “We’re not dead yet.” Very metal. Want to reach out with a tip? Email Aria at [email protected] or send me a message on Signal at 512-937-3988. You can also send a note to the whole TechCrunch crew at [email protected]. For more secure communications, click here to contact us, which…

Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus explains how the company's IM-1 lander tipped over on the moon's surfacing during a NASA press conference on Feb. 22, 2023.NASA TVIntuitive Machines' cargo lander, Odysseus, returned its first images from the moon's surface over the weekend, as the spacecraft settles in to its lunar destination.The company's historic IM-1 mission is now operating on the moon after landing on Thursday, becoming the first privately developed spacecraft to soft land on the lunar surface.Intuitive Machines…

It turns out Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus spacecraft didn’t land upright after all. In a with NASA Friday evening, the company revealed the lander is laying on its side after coming in a little faster than expected, likely catching its foot on the surface at the moment of landing. Fortunately, Odysseus is positioned in such a way that its solar panels are still getting enough light from the sun to keep it charged, and the team has been able to communicate with it. Pictures from the surface should be coming soon.While the…

Intuitive Machines’ spacecraft touched down yesterday on the lunar surface . . . sideways. CEO Steve Altemus confirmed during a press conference Friday that, while it wasn’t a perfect landing, it’s nothing short of a miracle the spacecraft landed intact at all. Using a small model of the lander, Altemus demonstrated how engineers believe the spacecraft, called Odysseus, made its descent given the most recent telemetry data. “The vehicle is stable near or at our intended landing site,” Altemus said. “We’re downloading…

Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lunar lander on display at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.NASAShares of Intuitive Machines surged in premarket trading on Friday after the company's successful first moon landing.Intuitive Machines' cargo moon lander, "Odysseus," became the first privately developed spacecraft to land on the lunar surface on Thursday – as well as the first U.S. spacecraft to soft land on the moon in over 50 years.The Houston, Texas company confirmed that the IM-1 mission lander was standing upright and…

Intuitive Machines has landed a spacecraft on the lunar surface, in a historic first for a private company. Flight controllers confirmed the landing at 5:23 p.m. CST, though the exact condition of the spacecraft is unclear as engineers work to refine their signal with the lander. “What we can confirm without a doubt is that our equipment is on the surface of the moon and we are transmitting,” mission director and Intuitive Machines CTO Tim Crain said. “So congratulations IM team, we’ll see how much more we can get…

The IM-1 lander "Odysseus" in lunar orbit on Feb. 21, 2024.Intuitive MachinesLunar company Intuitive Machines is going for history on Thursday as it attempts to reach the moon's surface in what would be the first American lunar landing since the Apollo era.Intuitive Machines' mission, known as IM-1, aims to soft land near the moon's south pole at about 6:24 p.m. ET.If successful, the company's Nova-C cargo lander, named "Odysseus" after the mythological Greek hero, would be the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the lunar…

The last time Tim Commerford stood in front of a large audience, Rage Against the Machine were wrapping up their truncated 2022 reunion tour with a four-night stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden. In the 18 months since that show, the Rage bassist has gone off the grid, and we mean that in a very literal sense. He now lives in a dirt road, mountaintop California house (he doesn’t want us to specify the location) that is removed from the electric grid. He powers everything via solar panels, and accesses the…

History might be made this week. On Thursday, the space-exploration company Intuitive Machines is planning to land a robotic spacecraft on the moon. If it’s successful, this will be America’s first soft landing on the lunar surface since the end of the Apollo program. Here’s everything you need to know about landing:What’s happening and how can I watch it?The Nova-C lander, called Odysseus (“Odie” for short), is scheduled to land on the lunar surface on Thursday, February 22, at 5:49 p.m. ET. NASA will have livestream…

A view of Earth and one of Odysseus’ fuel pressurant tanks aboard the IM-1 mission. Intuitive Machines is a commercial company that has been contracted by NASA to send its science and technology instruments to the Moon. Columbia Sportswear is a commercial payload contracted with Intuitive Machines. Credit: Intuitive MachinesNASA’s lunar mission with Intuitive Machines showcases successful launch, innovative engine testing, and advanced navigation technology for precise lunar exploration.After a successful launch on…