前往月球

2024年2月24日

To the Moon
Image Credit: Intuitive Machines

Explanation: Intuitive Machines’ robotic lander Odysseus has accomplished the first U.S. landing on the Moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Launched on a SpaceX rocket on February 15, the phone booth sized lander reached lunar orbit on the 21st and touched down on the lunar surface at 6:23 pm ET on February 22nd. Its landing region is about 300 kilometers north of the Moon’s south pole, near a crater designated Malapert A. The lander is presently collecting solar power and transmitting data back to the Intuitive Machines’ mission control center in Houston. The mission marks the first commercial uncrewed landing on the Moon. Prior to landing, Odysseus’ camera captured this extreme wide angle image (landing legs visible at right) as it flew over Schomberger crater some 200 kilometers from its landing site. Odysseus was still about 10 kilometers above the lunar surface.

Tomorrow’s picture: Phoenix over Iceland

前往月球
影像提供: Intuitive Machines

说明: 直觉机器公司的奥德修斯号着陆器，完成了自1972年阿波罗17号任务以来美国的首次登陆月球。在2月15日，太空探险公司的火箭发射升空，把电话亭大小的著陆器于21日推送进入月球轨道，并于美国东部时间2月22日下午6点23分，成功降落在月球表面上。它的目标着陆区在月球南极北方约300公里之处。着陆前，奥德修斯号的导航相机在飞过月球北部的赤道高地时，拍下了这幅影像。其中，位于右上方的是直径50公里、名为别利科维奇的撞击坑。 （Intuitive Machines 直觉机器公司；Odysseus 奥德修斯号； Bel’kovich K crater 别利科维奇坑）

明日的图片: Phoenix over Iceland