SpaceX

Intuitive Machines’ uncrewed autonomous lunar lander touched down on the moon’s surface at 6:23 p.m. EST.

lectric airplanes, air taxis, flying cars, drones, and other aircraft are being developed to address issues such as carbon emissions and the pilot shortage.

The lunar lander is now closer to the moon than the end-to-end distance driving across Houston, nicknamed ‘Space City,’ according to Intuitive Machines.

The IM-1 mission represents the first U.S. lunar landing in more than 50 years.

Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus moon lander is in ‘excellent health’ and on track to be inserted into lunar orbit this week, the company said.

Following liftoff, NASA confirmed the spacecraft was stable and receiving solar power.

The mission is part of NASA’s commercial lunar payload services initiative and represents the first U.S. lunar landing in more than 50 years.

The mission was the first commercial spaceflight of government and European Space Agency-sponsored national astronauts.

The free-flying commercial space station will permanently host four crewmembers and is scheduled to launch before the International Space Station’s decommissioning.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the payload of more than 8,200 pounds of critical supplies headed to the International Space Station.