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☆ Space photos from 5 recent moon-landing missions show how tiny engineering errors can cause big problems, like crashing or landing sideways
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Houston-based company's uncrewed Odysseus lander was almost lost to one of the tiniest possible mistakes. The view from the Intuitive Machines Odysseus lander as it descended to its landing site. Intuitive MachinesWith less than two hours to go before landing, Intuitive Machines engineers frantically whipped up a new navigation system. Indeed, several robotic moon landing attempts have crashed or otherwise malfunctioned in the last few years. Similarly, Intuitive Machines' success on Thursday shows that small errors don't necessarily have to spell the end of a mission.

Persons: Steve Altemus, Trent Martin, Odysseus, Astrobotic —, Peregrine, Astrobotic Astrobotic, Astrobotic, Vikram, SpaceNews, Robert Braun, Kailasavadivoo Sivan, ispace, NASA's, Braun, Japan's Smart Lander, SLIM, LEV, Takara Tomy Organizations: US, Business, NASA, Reconnaissance, Goddard, Arizona State University, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, NASA's Goddard Space Flight, freefall, JAXA, Takara, Sony Group Corporation, Doshisha Locations: India, Japan, Houston

☆ Weeks after the Peregrine lunar lander failed, NASA is launching the IM-1 mission to touch down on the moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Houston-based company Intuitive Machines, in collaboration with NASA, is launching its first mission to the moon atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. AdvertisementUnlike China, India, and Japan, the US hasn't put anything on the lunar surface in more than 50 years. AdvertisementThrough a $118 million contract, the agency is sponsoring Intuitive Machines to launch its first mission, called IM-1, toward the moon early Wednesday. SOPA Images/Getty ImagesThe mission's Nova-C lander should descend to the lunar surface just one week later, on February 22. To date, only India has landed in the lunar south pole region.

Persons: —, NASA hasn't, NASA’s, SLIM, TAKARA TOMY, ispace, Trent Martin, we've Organizations: Service, SpaceX, NASA, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight, Arizona State University, Russia, TAKARA, Sony, Doshisha University, Reuters, AP Locations: Houston, China, India, Japan, Cape Canaveral , Florida, Russia

☆ Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander burns up over Pacific Ocean
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —After soaring hundreds of thousands of miles through space and battling a propellant issue that dashed its plans, the Peregrine lunar lander has likely met its fiery end. The launch went off without a hitch, safely delivering the Peregrine lander into Earth’s orbit on a path toward the moon. But hours into its solo flight, the Peregrine lander encountered critical setbacks. A proving ground for commercial lunar landersA private lunar lander has never safely reached the moon’s surface — though other companies have tried. Astrobotic’s Thornton admitted to reporters that the Peregrine mission cost his company more money than it made.

Persons: Lockheed Martin, Astrobotic, Joel Kearns, ” Thornton, landers, SpaceIL, Ispace, Peregrine, Astrobotic’s Thornton, “ It’s, “, ” Astrobotic, Griffin, Peregrine — Organizations: CNN, Astrobotic Technology, Peregrine, NASA, United Launch Alliance, Lockheed, Boeing, Payload Services, Astrobotic Locations: Australia, Pittsburgh, South, Houston, Israel, Japan

☆ Japanese Moon Lander Crashed Because It Was Still Three Miles Up, Not on the Ground
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Kenneth Chang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The Beresheet lander, from an Israeli nonprofit named SpaceIL, launched to the moon in 2019, but it crashed. The Indian Space Research Organization attempted to land a lunar spacecraft the same year, too, and that vehicle, Vikram, also crashed. Only China has landed robotic spacecraft on the moon recently, with three successes in three attempts over the past decade. Ispace had obtained insurance for the lander, and the financial impacts on the company would be small, Mr. Hakamada said. The Indian space agency also announced this week that Chandrayaan-3, a follow-up to its moon landing attempt in 2019, could launch as early as July 12.

Persons: ”, Ryo Ujiie, “, Vikram, Takeshi Hakamada, ” Mr, Hakamada, Ispace Organizations: Draper Laboratory of Cambridge, NASA, Lunar Reconnaissance, Indian Space Research Organization, Technology, Pittsburgh, Houston Locations: China

☆ Japan’s Ispace reveals why its lunar lander crashed
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“While the lander estimated its own altitude to be zero, or on the lunar surface, it was later determined to be at an altitude of approximately 5 kms (3.1 miles) above the lunar surface,” according to Ispace’s news release. The company received valuable data to fine-tune its lunar lander design for another attempt, Hakamada said. The lunar lander was carrying the Rashid rover — the first Arab-built lunar spacecraft, which was developed by Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Even before the failed landing attempt, Ispace had been bracing for mishaps. That same year, the Indian Space and Research Organisation lost contact with a lunar lander shortly before it was slated to touch down on the moon.

☆ Japanese company ispace fears its probe crashed into the moon, failing to snag the first private lunar landing
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Japanese company ispace fears its lunar lander crashed into the moon on Tuesday. The HAKUTO-R M1 lunar lander dropped out of communications at the very end of its landing attempt. That operation was conducted by nonprofit SpaceIL, in its own attempt to claim the first private moon landing. Beresheet's engine went out as it descended, then SpaceIL lost communication with the spacecraft, indicating it had crashed into the lunar surface. NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University; Business InsiderJust months later, India's first attempt to land on the lunar surface met a similar fate.

☆ Commercial lunar lander presumed lost after historic moon landing attempt
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A Japanese lunar lander, carrying a rover developed in the United Arab Emirates, attempted to find its footing on the moon’s surface Tuesday — and potentially mark the world’s first lunar landing for a commercially developed spacecraft. The lunar lander, called Hakuto-R, was carrying the Rashid rover — the first Arab-built lunar spacecraft, which was built by Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai. Israel-based company SpaceIL was the first XPrize contestant to attempt to put its lander on the moon after the program ended. Its Beresheet spacecraft crashed in 2019 after ground teams lost contact with the lander as it approached the surface. That same year, the Indian Space and Research Organisation lost contact with a lunar lander shortly before it was slated to touch down on the moon.

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