                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2024 March 2

                            Odysseus on the Moon
                      Image Credit: Intuitive Machines

   Explanation: Methalox rocket engine firing, Odysseus' landing legs
   absorb first contact with the lunar surface in this wide-angle snapshot
   from a camera on board the robotic Intuitive Machines Nova-C moon
   lander. Following the landing on February 22, broken landing legs,
   visible in the image, ultimately left the lander at rest but tilted.
   Odysseus' gentle lean into a sloping lunar surface preserved the phone
   booth-sized lander's ability to operate, collect solar power, and
   return images and data to Earth. Its exact landing site in the Moon's
   far south polar region was imaged by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance
   Orbiter. Donated by NASA, the American flag seen on the lander's
   central panel is 1970 Apollo program flight hardware.

                     Tomorrow's picture: behind the Moon
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

