First Private Spacecraft Set for Moon-Beyond Journey Faces Challenges

The first commercial spacecraft to venture beyond the Moon is currently en route to deep space, yet the mission is encountering unidentified challenges as the team strives to establish communication with the probe.

Odin, a compact spacecraft developed by the U.S. space mining firm AstroForge, was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday (February 26), which also sent the private Intuitive Machines’ Athena lander toward the Moon.

Weighing 265 pounds (120 kilograms), Odin is tasked with capturing imagery of asteroid 2022 OB5 for a subsequent mission, dubbed Vestri, which aims to land on that asteroid. These missions align with AstroForge’s vision of making space resources accessible on Earth.

Initial indicators for Odin were promising, as AstroForge shared an image of the spacecraft secured to the upper stage in orbit. However, the team is actively seeking clarity on the operational status of the spacecraft.

“We don’t have a complete understanding of the vehicle’s condition,” stated Matthew Gialich, co-founder and CEO of AstroForge, in a video update regarding the Odin mission posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday (February 28). It’s believed that Odin is in a “sun safe mode,” an operational state designed to protect the spacecraft thermally and ensure a positive power balance.

“We are inclined to think we’re in a power-positive situation, although we lack telemetry data to confirm this. We hope to receive that information soon,” Gialich mentioned. Additionally, he noted that the spacecraft is positioned almost exactly where predicated, which enables tracking with high-gain antennas.

The team suspects two possible explanations for the current issues. The first is that the spacecraft may be functioning well, but Earth-based challenges—such as improperly configured ground receivers—could be hindering communication. Alternatively, the spacecraft might be experiencing a slow and uncontrolled tumble, although the team has indications that this scenario is unlikely.

As of the latest update, the next step involves sending a command to activate a power amplifier on the spacecraft. This amplifier would transmit a high-gain signal back to Earth, providing essential data.

AstroForge is also offering a live stream of its operations as the mission unfolds. For now, Odin is progressing toward its destination. “We will soon be in deep space, crossing to the far side of the Moon in about two days. Nothing can halt our journey unless we encounter an unforeseen obstacle,” Gialich affirmed.

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