A Moon lander developed by a US company has sent photos with a striking backdrop of Earth, days before it attempts to land on the lunar surface.
The Odysseus landing vehicle, built by Intuitive Machines for its IM-1 mission, was launched on Thursday aboard a SpaceX rocket from a Florida spaceport and is expected to attempt touchdown on Thursday.
If successful, it would become the first private mission to land on the surface, after previous failures by an American, an Israeli and a Japanese company.
It would also be the first US Moon landing since the last Apollo mission in 1972.
"Intuitive Machines successfully transmitted its first IM-1 mission images to Earth," the company posted on X, formerly Twitter, along with the photos.
"The images were captured shortly after separation from SpaceX's second stage on Intuitive Machines’ first journey to the Moon under Nasa's CLPS [commercial lunar payload services] initiative."
The company was contracted by Nasa to send six of its payloads to the Moon, featuring technology that tests weather in space and lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy and precision landing.
CLPS is helping to create easier access to the Moon by contracting companies, similar to how Nasa hires SpaceX to carry astronauts to the International Space Station.
A mission by another American company, Astrobotic, failed in an attempt to land on the Moon this year.
Its Peregrine lander suffered a fuel leak shortly after separating from its launch rocket.
The Odysseus will attempt a landing near a crater in the Moon's southern pole.
India last year became the first nation to land on an uncharted part of the lunar surface, its Vikram lander touching down near the Moon's southern pole in August.
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
