Live Lunar landing tonight.

[andrew63]

This might be worth a watch. Live broadcast of the Intuitive Machines 1 landing of Odysseus from 10pm UK. Looking outside at the bright moon seems to give a sense of anticipation for the event - hope all goes well.

https://plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-video/intuitive-machines-1-lunar-landing/

[maw lod qan]

I understand it was successful. As of 6:30 am EST they are still waiting for the first images.

[Cornelius Varley]

23 hours ago, maw lod qan said:

I understand it was successful. As of 6:30 am EST they are still waiting for the first images.

Not 100% successful. Apparently the LGM  👽  keep tipping the landers on their side Intuitive Machines: Odysseus Moon lander 'tipped over on touchdown' - BBC News

[DaveS]

 

 

[seven_legs]

I don't get why we having such problems going back to the moon with modern technology, when we landed people on the moon for the first time 50 odd years ago.

the moon conspiracy folks must all be going wild

[MalcolmP]

31 minutes ago, seven_legs said:

I don't get why we having such problems going back to the moon with modern technology, when we landed people on the moon for the first time 50 odd years ago.

the moon conspiracy folks must all be going wild

I am wild because
(maurice) I remember eet well (chevalier)
it has taken 'us' this long to get back on the job.
And at this rate I probably wont live to see people back on it let alone get there myself !!

I 'liked' your post then changed it to a 'smile' (we cant do both |??) thinking that conspiracies are better played out by something going wrong, like falling over. Whereas 50y ago nothing ,,,  oh hang on ,,, one guy did actually fall over on the moon 50y ago. Now what was his name ummm google >> 
 

[Stephenstargazer]

He probably picked himself up and laughed to the camera. We sent humans then because we did not have capable computers. Perhaps we still dont, though they have done amazing things elsewhere such as Mars and  Voyager. 

[900SL]

When I first clapped eyes on the Oddyseus, I thought that it seemed too tall and potentially unstable. I'm sure that the center of mass was lower than it appears though. 

Is there any footage of the landing from onboard cameras? I'd be most surprised if not..

Edited February 26 by 900SL

[DaveS]

 

 

[Swoop1]

This is where the human brain must be a better option than AI.

Human reactions can be unpredictable and that is what we need when things turn out to be sub nominal at the destination.

 

[JOC]

OK, so why make a lander that is taller than it is wider?  You only have to look at the sheer number of red wine incidents on record to know that things at are taller than wider with often heavier tops (like wine glasses) are not the most stable things on the moon.  Then I cannot imagine it is not possible to make some sort of self righting device - an extendable arm to push it up, something inflatable perhaps on ring fitted around the craft, like roll bars on a car - similar tech to car crash bags might even be useful to push it upright.  Even build the whole thing within a cage set on a set of gimbles that would then orient the payload upright on arrival. Or inside an inflatable ball on a similar self righting system and which then falls away when the craft is upright.  Yes, you will all say but it all adds weight and cuts down on instrument loads, but wouldn't it be better if you are going to spend millions to get few items there an working rather loads of semi effective items lying on their sides.  Seems to me that we need some common sense based engineers on the case, perhaps scientists that are used to working at sea on less than flat surfaces.  A think a cage that can sit in any direction carrying a payload hung within a series of rollers that would just sit upright with gravity - like a ships gimble compass system would work best.

[maw lod qan]

Regardless of how, or why it tipped over there's one thing I can't stop thinking about.

Remember the moment and the words,

"Houston, Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed!".

Come on, this thing cost millions of dollars, made it to the moon! You tell me they can't put a spirit level in it so the AI brain can tell its tipped over!

"Houston, we made it, but!"

At least the Nasa administrator wouldn't have celebrated so quickly.

[900SL]

The shape of the lander appears to have been somewhat dictated by the nose cone  internal payload space of the launcher rocket, when I think about it.

[JOC]

3 minutes ago, 900SL said:

The shape of the lander appears to have been somewhat dictated by the nose cone  internal payload space of the launcher rocket, when I think about it.

Yeah, but given the lack of gravity in space there is surely no reason why it couldn't have been packed on it's side and been made wide and short rather than narrow and tall.  Just because launching rockets tend to be tall and thin to make them streamlined through the atmosphere, there is nothing that really dicates the orientation of what they carry.

[900SL]

Yes, you are correct. I'm sure there are some awkward questions being asked in the post mortem. Imagine if there had been a crew on board! 'HEY Jack,  where's the Jack on this jalopy'