Florida — A space probe from a private space company USA arrived on the surface of the Moon on Thursdaybut contact with the ship was weak, company officials reported.
The company, Intuitive Machines, did not immediately provide an update on the status of the probe.
Tension increased in the company's command center in Houston, while controllers waited for the signal from the probe located about 250,000 miles awaywhich took 10 minutes to arrive.
“We are evaluating how we can refine that signal,” said chief of mission Tim Crain. “But we can confirm, without a doubt, that our team is on the lunar surface.”
The probe, named Odysseus, descended from a low lunar orbit and headed to the surface in search of a relatively flat place among the cliffs and craters found near the south pole of the natural satellite.