Nasa-IM Moon Lander to Carry 'Eternal Tribute' for Hindu leader BAPS' Pramukh Swami Maharaj

Washington: The Odysseus Moon Lander is making its way towards the moon, aiming to land softly on its surface on February 22 and is carrying a special payload along with it: a plaque. This plaque, sponsored by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, bears a motto from Pramukh Swami Maharaj's life: "In the joy of others, lies our own. In the good of others, abide our own." This means that when we help others, we also make ourselves happy. 

Furthermore, this spacecraft, created by Intuitive Machines, is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which reportedly collaborates with private companies to send landers to the moon to support Artemis missions.

The plaque was also made by Intuitive Machines in partnership with Relative Dynamics Inc, an aerospace engineering firm. The journey of the Odysseus Moon Lander began on February 15, 2024, when it was launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. 

However, due to temperature issues during fuel loading, the launch was postponed by a day. Nonetheless, this delay did not affect the planned landing date on February 22, 2024. The landing is scheduled to occur during the middle of the lunar day, providing the lander with approximately a week to carry out its operations on the moon's surface. This mission marks the first endeavour for Intuitive Machines in lunar exploration, although it is the second attempt by a CLPS mission.

This is the first time Intuitive Machines is undertaking a mission like this, but it's not the first time someone has tried to land on the moon with a private spaceship. Last month, a company called Astrobotic attempted, but their spaceship didn't make it.