Moon landing today: What time, how to watch first U.S. moon landing since 1972

Moon landing today: What time, how to watch first U.S. moon landing since 1972

The first U.S. moon landing since 1972 and the first ever by a private company is set to take place this afternoon.

And you can watch live.

Houston-based Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander will touchdown on the moon today, according to updates from the company and NASA. The lander has completed its lunar orbit insertion successfully and is currently orbiting the moon.

“Odysseus continues to be in excellent health and is approximately 60 miles (92km) from the Moon,” NASA said late yesterday. It is expected to continue the orbit before starting its descent today with landing set near a crater known as Malapert A for Thursday, Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. EST (4:30 p.m. CST).

Odysseus was launched on Feb. 15 with payloads including NASA science instruments and technology. The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, Gizmodo reported, which aims to have a constant flow of landers on the moon to deliver government-owned or commercial payloads.

A successful landing by Odysseus would mark the first touchdown by a U.S.-built spacecraft since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission.

How to watch

Live landing coverage will air on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. You can see it via NASA’s YouTube stream below.