The groundbreaking development speaks to the growing role of private companies in space.
Houston, the US is officially back on the moon.
On Thursday, an unmanned lunar spacecraft called Odysseus made the first US moon landing in 50 years. The spacecraft, which was produced by Texas-based engineering firm Intuitive Machines, marks major progress in the country’s ongoing investments in space exploration and provides helpful new data that can be applied to upcoming lunar missions, and even trips to Mars.
Odysseus is also the first private spacecraft to ever land on the moon, underscoring how American businesses are taking a more prominent role in US space endeavors.
Their interest and involvement in space has meant the ability to test more technology more quickly, something that has been evident in SpaceX’s rocket launches, including repeated failed missions. Bolstered by government funding and a faster-moving experimental mentality, these companies are able to refine their offerings at a swifter pace than a government agency, which might often have to deal with more regulations and red tape.
“We’re seeing quite a large growth in the number of companies and private interests in the space business,” said Johns Hopkins University physics and astronomy professor Charles Bennett.
While private companies have long been key partners for NASA, Bennett said they’ve taken charge of more aspects of space exploration in recent years. SpaceX, for example, has become a key developer of rockets and intends to launch its own commercial missions. Additionally, the industry as a whole has seen a surge in growth and funding as more governments and consumers across the globe have become increasingly interested in space.
Odysseus’s successful journey will ultimately be useful to scientists as they prepare for NASA’s manned Artemis missions, set to travel around the moon in 2025 and land there in 2026.
