In a historic achievement, Intuitive Machines successfully landed its spacecraft, Odysseus, on the moon's south polar region near the Malapert A crater, becoming the first private business to achieve a moon landing in the United States. The landing, which marked the first U.S. mission to the moon in half a century, was a significant milestone for the company and NASA.

Intuitive Machines reported that Odysseus is "alive and well" and that it is actively communicating with the lander to acquire science data. However, the company noted that they are still working on determining the specific information regarding the location, overall health, and positioning of the spacecraft.

NASA, which sponsored the mission in large part, had experiments onboard the lander. One of the experiments was crucial in aiding the navigation system of the lander when it faced issues during the final hours before touchdown. Despite some challenges, the successful landing by Intuitive Machines showcased the potential for private companies in space exploration.

Although one of the experiments, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's EagleCam, didn't go as planned, overall, the mission was a groundbreaking success. This mission is part of NASA's efforts to return astronauts to the moon under the Artemis program, with the first crew landing planned for 2026 at the earliest.

This achievement highlights the growing presence of private entities in space exploration and signifies a new chapter in lunar exploration for the United States.