How a Private Spacecraft’s Sideways Touchdown is Rewriting History
<p>Imagine this: A private spacecraft, the Nova-C lander, also known as “Odysseus,” has just made history by gracefully touching down on the moon’s surface. But here’s the twist — it landed sideways. Yes, you heard that right. In an event that feels like it’s straight out of a sci-fi novel, Odysseus has reignited America’s lunar exploration flame, marking the first time in over 50 years, since the legendary Apollo 17 mission, that we’ve made our mark on the moon again.</p>
<p>This wasn’t just any mission. Launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Odysseus embarked on a six-day, 620,000-mile journey to the moon, aiming for a landing near the Malapert A crater, a site with strategic significance due to its proximity to potential water ice deposits at the lunar south pole. And despite a last-minute scare with its onboard instruments and a nail-biting moment of lost communication, the mission was a success, albeit with a sideways finale.</p>
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