XPost: alt.space, alt.science, alt.politics.usa
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13137377/Failed-moon-lander-NASA-118-million-Odysseus-lunar-night.html
Failed moon lander isn't dead yet: NASA plans to extend mission
of $118 million Odysseus into 'lunar night' with hopes of
pulling more data - but the two-week period could kill the craft
. . .
As best revealed, the laser altitude sensor crapped
during the landing phase. There was a quick attempt
to use another method, but it thought 100 meters
was zero meters and cut the descent engine early.
Plop.
The thing was built as a big heavy pod with some
spindly legs. One of the legs broke from the impact,
leaving the probe at a 45-degree angle. Alas, as
with the earlier Japanese probe, the main solar
array is pointed DOWN - not very useful.
The mother corp is planning another landing pretty
soon. Let's hope they learned a few things.
Anyway, the current probe is NOT going to be
drilling down into the moon - one of its major
functions. It can likely send SOME useful data,
for awhile anyway, but we really wanted to see
how much ice was down under.
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