NASA Conducts First Radio Telescope Observations on the Moon

The first successful deployment of a radio telescope on the moon has launched a groundbreaking chapter in astronomy, promising to illuminate the mysteries of the cosmic dark ages, despite experiencing a rocky landing.

NASA’s ROLSES-1 (Radio wave Observations at the Lunar Surface of the photoElectron Sheath) telescope was integrated into the Odysseus lander. This significant milestone marks a historic achievement as it represents the first-ever private lunar landing. Although the Odysseus lander completed its mission successfully, it tipped over during the landing, which has affected the functionality of much of the onboard equipment.