'My ironing board legs have more integrity': Odysseus triggers jokes as it breaks leg on moon landing

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The lunar lander Odysseus finally powered down on Thursday, February 29 one week after it became the first US spacecraft to land on the moon since NASA's Apollo era came to an end 50 years ago.

However, Odie's (name given to Odysseus) landing faced difficulties, including a broken leg during touchdown.

After skidding onto the moon's surface on February 22, Odysseus toppled over its side, according to telemetry data broadcast back to Earth. Ground controllers hadn't anticipated the 14-foot-tall cylindrical lander to live nearly as long as it did.

Odysseus lost its power week after landing on moon

Even from its sideways position, the uncrewed robot - built and operated by the space company Intuitive Machines in Houston - was able to transmit photos and data to Earth during its weeklong stay on the moon.

NASA, the mission's principal sponsor and source of funding, stated that the information gathered by Odysseus's instruments will be useful to NASA as it becomes ready to return humans to the moon in the coming years.

Before its solar power ran out and lunar nightfall arrived, the lander, dubbed "Odie" by its designers, sent out its final image on Thursday afternoon. In roughly three weeks, when the sun reappeares at solar noon-its highest position in the sky and begins to emit power-producing rays, the crew expects to awaken Odysseus.

Odysseus' landing not only returned America to the moon for the first time since 1972, but it also marked the first time a commercial company built a spacecraft that made it to the lunar surface.

However, the pioneering spacecraft overcame a number of hurdles during its epic February 22 landing. Out of all those hurdles, the one that gained momentum on Internet was when the lander broke its leg, per Space.

Internet reacts on Odysseus' broken leg

Referencing Odysseus' broken leg, a Facebook user commented, "Not the odi is a scrappy lil dude....the Ingeneur who create such stupid legs." Another user said, "What a waste of money."

A user opined saying, "Does it still work? How did it break aleg in 1/6 gravity if it didn't break one in earth's gravity?" A user hysterically said, "My Ironing Board legs have more Integrity." 

A user commented, "Sideway Landed in the forbidden zone." While another user questioned, "Incredible they didn't test the laser landing system!"

A user mocked and said, "Should have been fitted with trumps golden shoes."