EagleCam Updates: Public Comments by Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus

During a NASA, Intuitive Machines Moon Mission update, captured on YouTube, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said today:

“With respect to EagleCam — what an amazing team of faculty and students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University who put their heart and soul into an ejectable camera that would come off our Nova-C or Odysseus lander and eject onto the surface.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t get to that, with the power descent the way it happened, and so … as we went to each payload to try and reactivate them, we were able to reactivate the EagleCam. We reset the visual processing unit and powered up the EagleCam, and were able to eject it, and (we) ejected it about 4 meters away from the vehicle safely. However, either in camera or in the Wi-Fi signal back to the lander, something might not be working correctly. So, the Embry-Riddle team is working on that and wrestling with that to see if there’s anything they can do.

I think it’s a wild success. I would love to fly the EagleCam again. Those students put their heart into it and it’s a really innovative design, and if we can get a picture of a landing, I would love to give it to them. So, we’ll see what happens going forward.”

Embry-Riddle Leaders Praise EagleCam Team’s Dedication

*The announcement below was originally published at 5 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2024. 

The EagleCam team is incredibly proud to be the first university student-built payload on the moon. With the challenges presented by the off-nominal landing configuration of the Odysseus lander, the student team has been working tirelessly over the past six days to adapt mission plans and procedures in order to deploy its CubeSat camera system.

Despite the team’s strong effort, the technical complications have currently resulted in an inability to acquire images of the Odysseus lander. However, the team has been able to collect other data sets from the EagleCam system, and these data will be analyzed and published in the near future. In addition to the team’s primary mission objectives, they also set out to test an electrodynamic dust shield — a device meant to electrically “shake” lunar regolith, or moon dust, off the EagleCam’s lenses — after landing.

Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D., said, “The EagleCam team of Embry-Riddle students, from first-year undergraduates to doctoral candidates, have accomplished an incredible feat. From its inception, EagleCam has been completely designed and built by students. The team has consistently displayed agility, creativity and adaptability and has gained invaluable lessons from this experience.”

Dr. Troy Henderson, associate professor of Aerospace Engineering and director of the Space Technologies Laboratory at Embry-Riddle, said, “I am incredibly proud of the EagleCam team! They overcame several obstacles in real-time with creative engineering solutions. The team worked tirelessly and intensely, and they did an amazing job. They look forward to applying the insights gained from EagleCam to help support future spaceflight operations.”  

Dr. Jim Gregory, dean of the College of Engineering at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus said, “I’m deeply impressed by the innovation, dedication and creativity of the EagleCam team! The students and faculty have accomplished great feats, and we’re extremely proud of all that they have learned, experienced, developed and achieved.”

Dr. Butler added, “Congratulations to all involved in the historic IM-1 mission. For years to come, our students and graduates will continue to be inspired by the EagleCam team’s determination, perseverance and innovation.”

*The announcement below was originally published at 2:15 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2024.

Device Remains Operational; Team Optimistic for Deployment

Following what Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus described as “quite a spicy seven-day mission,” the Embry-Riddle team has been working around the clock to adapt its original deployment plan for EagleCam in order to provide critical visual support of the Odysseus Nova-C class Lunar Lander, which is currently believed to be resting on its side on the moon.

The original deployment sequence for EagleCam — which was planned to take place during the spacecraft’s lunar descent to capture imagery of the lander touching down on the moon’s surface — was first delayed following communication and navigation disruptions the night of landing, Feb. 22, 2024. The plan was modified again after the lander touched down on the moon with an “unexpected attitude,” according to Intuitive Machines reports.

Telemetry data confirms that the Embry-Riddle CubeSat is still fully operational, however, and the team now intends to deploy its camera system to capture imagery of the lander in its current state, offering valuable data that could help Intuitive Machines refine its plans moving forward.

“We are currently running simulations which show that EagleCam should deploy a total distance of somewhere between 3 to 5 meters, with a best guess at about 4.1 meters,” said Dr. Troy Henderson, faculty lead of the EagleCam team.

That distance would give the device, during its ejection from the side of the lander, an opportunity to capture photographs of Odysseus’ orientation and overall health. The imagery would then be transferred via Wi-Fi back to the lander and then transmitted down to engineers on Earth for analysis.

“We are seeing top-notch engineering displayed by our students, and in a uniquely high-pressure environment,” said Dr. Eduardo Rojas, the Embry-Riddle assistant professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering who designed EagleCam’s Wi-Fi antennas. “We have built-in redundancies into this device, with Wi-Fi antenna diversity both in the payload and the lander, which increases our chances of mission success under these unexpected scenarios.”

Once deployed, EagleCam’s primary objective will be to verify that Wi-Fi connection. In addition to designing the Wi-Fi antennas, Rojas also led a team of students who contributed to various other aspects of the project, including designing, manufacturing and testing Wi-Fi hardware for both EagleCam and the lander. They also designed and built EagleCam’s power system.

Embry-Riddle students have remained busy throughout the mission thus far, simulating computer models, working with flat-sat hardware, adjusting system parameters and configurations, researching, and continually evaluating various scenarios to increase the overall chances of mission success.

The timeline for deployment remains unknown. More information will be released as it becomes available.

*The announcement below was originally published at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2024.

Embry-Riddle Camera System to Provide Critical Mission Support for Lunar Lander

The EagleCam team has discussed the importance of agility and adaptability since the beginning of this project. As a result, it has been able to quickly pivot over the past 36 hours.

Following news from Intuitive Machines (IM) that the Nova-C class Lunar Lander may currently be on its side, the EagleCam team is now working closely with IM to deploy EagleCam as soon as possible. The goal is that the resulting images will provide critical insight into the lander's orientation, health and additional mission support.

More information will be released as soon as it becomes available.

*The announcement below was originally published at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2024.

Camera System Deployment Forthcoming

Due to complications with Odysseus’ internal navigation system — specifically concerning the software patch to navigation data to include NASA’s NDL (Navigation Doppler Lidar) payload, which is meant to ensure a soft landing — the decision was made to power down EagleCam during landing and not deploy the device during Odysseus’ final descent.

However, both the Intuitive Machines and EagleCam teams still plan to deploy EagleCam and capture images of the lander on the lunar surface as the mission continues.

The time of deployment is currently unknown.

Stay tuned! More information will be released as soon as it becomes available.

*The announcement below was originally published at 10:55 a.m. on Feb. 23, 2024.

Embry-Riddle Device Lands on Moon

Members of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University community held their breath and then erupted into thunderous applause Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, as Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus Nova-C class Lunar Lander touched down on the moon.

This was no ordinary mission: In addition to marking the United States’ first return to the lunar surface since 1972, the spacecraft was also carrying precious cargo aboard: an entirely student-built CubeSat called “EagleCam.”

After four years of design and development, EagleCam touched down at approximately 6:30 p.m. (EST), becoming the first-ever university student-built project to land on the moon.

“We are thrilled and humbled by the remarkable dedication of the many students and faculty at Embry-Riddle who achieved this remarkable milestone,” said Embry-Riddle President P. Barry Butler, Ph.D. “When you look up at the moon tonight, take a moment to think about this awe-inspiring moment for Embry-Riddle.”

“The students truly made history with this project,” added Dr. Jim Gregory, dean of Embry-Riddle’s College of Engineering. “The grit, innovative thinking and persistence they’ve displayed is beyond admirable.”

According to Intuitive Machines, the lander is upright, has good telemetry and solar charging, and the team is continuing to learn more about the vehicle’s specific information (Lat/Lon), overall health and attitude (orientation).

“Odysseus is alive and well,” Intuitive machines reported this morning via X. “Flight controllers are communicating and commanding the vehicle to download science data.”

EagleCam has landed on the moon and the Embry-Riddle team is working with Intuitive Machines’ mission control to downlink data as it becomes available.

More updates will be released as they become available. Please be patient and stay tuned!

*The announcement below was originally published Feb. 18, 2024.

Intuitive Machines Transmits First Glimpse of Earth, EagleCam From Space

EagleCam — which hitched a ride into space on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Intuitive Machines Odysseus Nova-C class Lunar Lander — is on its way to the moon.

The device, entirely designed and built by Embry-Riddle students, can be glimpsed in newly released photographs from Intuitive Machines. The imagery was captured shortly after the launch vehicle separated from SpaceX’s second-stage engine, as the lander continues into journey toward the moon.

In the photos, which capture wide views of Earth, the rectangular metal box containing the EagleCam miniature camera system can be seen.

EagleCam is scheduled to land on the moon Feb. 22, 2024.

*The announcement below was originally published Feb. 15, 2024.

We Have Liftoff! EagleCam Successfully Launches Into Space, Bound for the Moon

Years in the making, Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University’s miniature satellite camera system, called “EagleCam,” successfully left Earth in the early hours of Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

It is now on its way to the moon.

On its arrival, the device is poised to accomplish a series of firsts — including becoming the first-ever university student-built project to land on the moon, the first to capture third-person imagery of a spacecraft and the first to use Wi-Fi on the lunar surface.

Watch a recording of the launch.

Watch the lunar lander deploy into space, beginning its multi-day journey to the moon.

More information about the lander’s journey to the moon will be reported by Intuitive Machines, online.

*The announcement below was originally published Feb. 13, 2024.

Launch Imminent: SpaceX Mission to the Moon Will Have Embry-Riddle Payload Onboard

Update (Feb. 14): After this story's original publication, the SpaceX launch was rescheduled to 1:05 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024.

Years in the making, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s miniature satellite camera system, called “EagleCam,” is scheduled to leave Earth late tonight aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which is scheduled for launch late Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024 (technically Feb. 14 because it will be after midnight, near 1 a.m. EST).

The launch of this device, which is poised to accomplish a series of firsts — including becoming the first-ever university student-built project to land on the moon, the first to capture third-person imagery of a spacecraft and the first to use Wi-Fi on the lunar surface — will mark the beginning of a more than six-day journey to the moon.

On its final approach — which is scheduled to occur Thursday, Feb. 22 — EagleCam will jettison from Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Lunar Lander just before touching down on the moon to capture this historic imagery.

“For students to have this opportunity to show that they can design, test and build a working CubeSat — that is a winning combination for their future careers,” said Dr. Troy Henderson, EagleCam faculty advisor and director of Embry Riddle’s Space Technologies Laboratory. “These students have contributed years of hands-on work to a real-world project and have shown an incredible amount of ingenuity.”

A completely student-designed and -developed CubeSat, the EagleCam project began in 2020, with work on the device taking place on Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus. In addition to the photographic innovations it seeks to accomplish, the device will also test an electromagnetic dust shield, which could potentially help keep the glass on astronauts’ helmets clean, offering greater visibility in space.

“EagleCam will probably record enough data for Ph.D. students to analyze in dissertations for the next 10 years,” Henderson added. “The scientific return is enormous.”

Learn more about the EagleCam project online, and follow the team’s progress on their Instagram page: @ERAUeaglecam.

Imagery from the mission will be released after the lunar landing.

Watch a live stream of the launch on Intuitive Machines’ website.

Previous EagleCam Coverage

• Eagles Visit Intuitive Machines to Make Final Preparations on EagleCam CubeSat (Jan. 25, 2023)
• Eagles Complete CubeSat Construction; Next Stop: the Moon (Nov. 12, 2021)
• Embry-Riddle to Demonstrate Dust Shield on Lunar Surface (Feb. 12, 2021)
• To the Moon: EagleCam Prepares for Historic Mission (Sept. 16, 2020)
• Eagles to Land First Student Project on Moon to Snap Selfie of Lunar Landing (Oct. 20, 2020)

Posted In: Engineering | Institutional News | Research | Space