U.S. Moon Landing: Houston Company's Odysseus Mission Nears Lunar Surface A robotic lunar lander from Intuitive Machines is set to make a historic soft landing on the moon's south pole on Thursday, becoming the first private spacecraft to do so. The mission, with NASA as its main customer, will be live-streamed on NASA TV. The spacecraft will carry out a series of engine maneuvers to descend and will operate for about seven days before the lunar night begins. The mission is part of NASA's program to involve private companies in lunar exploration, aiming for more frequent missions in preparation for U.S. astronauts' return to the moon under the Artemis program.