Achieving a successful soft landing on the moon with robotic landers is a difficult task, as evidenced by the limited success rates of previous attempts. While Japan's and India's national space agencies have succeeded, a Russian probe and two private missions from Japanese and American companies failed. Odysseus aims to become the first private company to achieve a successful soft landing on the moon, marking the first American-made spacecraft to do so in five decades. The absence of a pilot for real-time spacecraft control and the necessity for autonomous decision-making during the landing process make the task even more challenging, with a high risk of failure.
If it succeeds—and that is no sure thing—this week’s soft landing of Odysseus will be the first by a private firm. We examine the prospects and the business models of the Moon rush. Our producer visits Ukraine to mark the anniversary of a revolution that helped to shape today’s conflict (11:22). And the rise and coming fall in entertaining British obituaries (21:25).
Get a world of insights for 50% off—subscribe to Economist Podcasts+
If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account.