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UK Economy Recession, Rod Stewart Mega-Deal, Private Moon Launch
Just reporting the facts.
Centrist Chronicle
February 19, 2024
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In a significant milestone for private space exploration, the US company Intuitive Machines embarked on its Odysseus mission, deploying a robotic lunar lander about the size of a phone booth towards the moon's south pole, with a planned landing set for Thursday, approximately 180 miles from the target area. A successful touchdown would represent not only the first private lunar landing but also the first soft landing (a controlled descent to the moon's surface) by the US since the last Apollo mission in 1972.
Launched on a SpaceX rocket, the lander is equipped with six scientific instruments from NASA, as part of the agency's initiative to engage private companies in lunar exploration to decrease expenses. The mission, valued at $120 million for the scientific equipment, aims to support NASA's preparations for the Artemis program, which seeks to return humans to the lunar surface by as soon as 2026. Additionally, the mission includes a detachable camera to document the landing process and moon sculptures created by the artist Jeff Koons.
Iconic rock vocalist Rod Stewart has transferred ownership of his song collection to Irving Azoff's Iconic Artists Group for a sum approaching $100 million. This comprehensive agreement includes his publishing catalog, recorded music rights, and certain rights to his name and image, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
In a statement regarding the transaction, Stewart expressed, “Celebrating my 60th anniversary in the music business, I believe now is the perfect time for this transition. I'm grateful to have Irving and his team at Iconic as the custodians of my musical heritage and ongoing legacy.”
In an unprecedented venture into private lunar exploration, the American firm Intuitive Machines has launched its Odysseus mission, sending a compact, phone booth-sized robotic lander on a trajectory towards the moon's south pole, aiming for a landing approximately 180 miles from its designated site on Thursday. This endeavor, if successful, would not only achieve the first private lunar landing but also mark the first soft landing (achieved through a controlled descent) by the US since the Apollo program concluded in 1972.
The mission took to the skies aboard a SpaceX rocket, carrying with it six scientific instruments provided by NASA, reflecting the space agency's strategy to partner with private entities for lunar missions to cut down on costs. With the scientific payloads valued at $120 million, the mission is geared towards aiding NASA in its Artemis program objectives, which include plans to send humans back to the lunar surface by potentially as early as 2026. The mission is further enriched with a detachable camera designed to record the descent and landing on the moon, along with lunar sculptures by the renowned artist Jeff Koons, adding an artistic dimension to this scientific endeavor.