![SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying a private company's moon lander.](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CLEAN-Launch-spacex_Getty-Images_featuredImage_Thu-Feb-15-2024.jpg?w=1920)
THERE WERE NO TECHNICAL ISSUES THIS TIME AROUND – AS SPACEX’S FALCON 9 ROCKET SUCCESSFULLY LIFTED OFF OVERNIGHT FROM NASA’S KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN FLORIDA.
THE ROCKET CARRYING A ROBOTIC LUNAR LANDER DEVELOPED BY A PRIVATE COMPANY.
HOUSTON-BASED “INTUITIVE MACHINES” HOPING ITS LANDER – NAMED ODYSSEUS — WILL BE THE FIRST US SPACECRAFT TO TOUCH DOWN ON THE MOON IN OVER FIVE DECADES.
NASA IS PAYING THE COMPANY 118 MILLION DOLLARS TO CARRY SIX ITEMS INCLUDING A CAMERA TO OBSERVE THE DUST UPON LANDING – AND A RADIO RECEIVER SYSTEM TO STUDY CHARGED PARTICLES ON THE MOON’S SURFACE.
ODYSSEUS IS SCHEDULED TO LAND ON THE MOON’S SOUTH POLE IN ONE WEEK — ON FEBRUARY 22ND.