Private mission to the moon blasts off from Florida
American aerospace company Intuitive Machines launched its Odysseus lander from Cape Kennedy on a rocket made by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. It's trying to become the first commercial spacecraft to successfully land on the lunar surface.
Transcript
00:00 [Explosion]
00:02 The American moon lander, Audisius, fires up to set off into space.
00:08 Its aim is to bring a camera and newly developed NASA measuring equipment to the moon.
00:15 Its destination is the lunar South Pole.
00:20 There, Audisius will seek out a spot to land softly on the moon's surface.
00:29 A new race to the moon is on.
00:31 Satellites have discovered water on its poles, the most important resource for human space travel.
00:37 This race is not driven just by scientific curiosity.
00:41 It's a quest to develop the best technology, discover resources and to secure future markets.
00:49 NASA wants to build a station in the moon's orbit and outposts on the surface.
00:57 The space agency is working together with European, Japanese and Canadian partners.
01:02 Many US companies are hoping for lucrative contracts and income from space tourism.
01:09 China, Russia and India also have moon tourism in their sights.
01:14 In order for any of this to happen, it's mission critical to find a way to land safely.
01:20 But this is no easy task and many have failed.
01:26 Russia's Luna 25 mission crashed into a lunar crater.
01:30 And Peregrine, the first commercial American moon lander, suffered a fuel leak and self-destructed over the Pacific Ocean.
01:45 Japan's slim robot actually landed.
01:51 Upside down.
01:54 After a failed attempt, India was able to put a robot and a vehicle on the moon.
01:59 Meanwhile, China was the first nation to land on the far side of the moon.
02:07 If Odysseus' mission is successful, the US will be able to claim the first commercial moon landing.
02:21 NASA also plans to build its new human-staffed station there, in the darkness of the lunar south pole.
02:30 Transcribed by ESO; Translated by —