Intuitive Machines’ Moon Lander Tips Over, Company’s Stock Tumbles 30 Percent

company noted that Odysseus is 'alive and well', engineers are sending commands to the vehicle

Texas-based Intuitive Machines landed a spacecraft on the moon last Thursday, and despite making it to the lunar surface, the lander tipped over, sending shares of the company tumbling with it after the news broke. Intuitive Machines was the first private company to successfully land on the moon last week, causing its stocks to nearly double from $4.98 before Odysseus was launched on Feb. 15, to $9.59 at the close of the market on Friday. (Intuitive Machines image)

CEO Stephen Altemus said the lunar spacecraft had tipped over and was resting on its side, propped up on a rock.

(FOXBUSINESS.COM) – Texas-based Intuitive Machines landed a spacecraft on the moon last Thursday, and despite making it to the lunar surface, the lander tipped over, sending shares of the company tumbling with it after the news broke.

Intuitive Machines was the first private company to successfully land on the moon last week, causing its stocks to nearly double from $4.98 before Odysseus was launched on Feb. 15, to $9.59 at the close of the market on Friday.

But a late-day sell-off sent the price tumbling by 30% after learning the spacecraft had tipped over onto its side. CEO Stephen Altemus said the lunar spacecraft had tipped over and was resting on its side, propped up on a rock.

The company noted that Odysseus is “alive and well,” adding that engineers were sending commands to the vehicle. NASA officials praised Intuitive Machines’ efforts during a press conference after the event.

Last Thursday, the U.S. witnessed the company’s nearly successful mission when the lander touched down near Malapert A in the South Pole region of the moon.

The touchdown marked the first time an American spacecraft had landed on the moon since the last crewed Apollo mission over 50 years ago. The last time an American spacecraft touched down on the moon was in 1972, during the Apollo 17 mission.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Florida’s Space Coast on February 15.

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Engineers had to deal with navigation issues, but accomplished the first moon landing by an American spacecraft in 50 years. The Odysseus lunar lander is upright and starting to send data, according to Intuitive Machines. Mission control solved communication problems after a stressful wait, and the lander’s first images from the surface are expected soon. (Intuitive Machines image)

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