Masters of Scale Rapid Response: Landing on the moon, with Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines
Mar 7, 2024
Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, leads the first private company to land on the moon, drawing from his NASA experience. He shares thrilling tales of overcoming last-minute obstacles during the historic mission. Topics include the critical role of teamwork, innovative engineering solutions like 3D printing, and the transition to autonomous lunar operations. Altemus emphasizes the shift from traditional space exploration to dynamic commercial ventures, highlighting how challenges fuel innovation in this exciting new industry.
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Low Orbit Save
- Intuitive Machines faced a critical moment when their lunar orbit insertion maneuver went off course, putting them too low.
- Steve Altemus, CEO, encouraged the team to stay calm and focused, leading to a successful correction burn.
Leading in Crisis
- In critical moments, project a calming influence.
- Trust your team's expertise, but provide support and decisive leadership when consequences are severe.
Makeshift Lasers
- The Odysseus lander's primary lasers failed, jeopardizing the landing.
- The team reprogrammed the spacecraft's software in 45 minutes to use NASA's Doppler LIDAR as makeshift laser rangefinders.