SpaceX sends Odysseus module to Moon: It will be first spacecraft by private company to land on Moon

The U.S. Intuitive Machines company's Odysseus (IM-1 Nova-C) device, designed to land on the Moon, has been successfully sent into space by the American SpaceX aerospace company's Falcon-9 rocket. This is reported on the X social network (formerly Twitter) on the official page of SpaceX.

Odysseus has to cover a distance of 370,000 kilometers. If the mission goes according to plan, the module will reach the lunar orbit on February 21, and will land on the surface of the satellite on February 22.

If successful, Odysseus-1 will become the first privately owned vehicle in history to land safely on the Moon.

Intuitive Machines received $118 million from NASA to conduct a series of experiments on the moon. The company also enlisted its customers, including sportswear maker Columbia Sportswear. IM-1 also carried a Columbia jacket made of metallic fabric, whose thermal insulation properties are to be tested in space.

In addition, contemporary artist Jeff Koons sent several of his sculptures to the moon with Odysseus.