Private Company Plans Early Communication Loss With Moon Lander

• Intuitive Machines to lose communication with Odyssey's lander sooner than planned.

• Data collection to continue until solar panels are no longer exposed to light.

• Uncertainty on impact of communication cutoff on image and data transmission.

Intuitive Machines' Odysseus lunar lander captures a wide field of view image of Schomberger crater on the Moon

Reuters

Intuitive Machines, the first private company to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon, has announced that they will be losing communication with their Odyssey's lander earlier than originally planned. The company stated that they intend to collect data until the lander's solar panels are no longer exposed to light, which they predict will occur on Tuesday morning based on the positions of the Earth and moon.

As of now, Intuitive Machines has not released any images taken after Odyssey's landing. The company has also mentioned that it is uncertain how the communication cutoff will impact the transmission of images and information back to Earth.

This decision by Intuitive Machines marks a significant development in their lunar mission, as they continue to push the boundaries of private space exploration. The company's innovative approach and commitment to advancing space technology have garnered attention and interest from the global space community.

Despite the upcoming communication loss, Intuitive Machines remains focused on maximizing the data collection capabilities of their lander until the last possible moment. This strategic decision underscores the company's dedication to extracting valuable insights from their lunar mission.