MRT: Dallas City Manager Broadnax to Resign June 3; Houston Company’s Spacecraft to Attempt Moon Landing Today; New Poll: SJL 43, Edwards 38
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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THURSDAY – 02/22/24
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TOP NEWS
“Houston's Intuitive Machines spacecraft to attempt moon landing today,” Houston Chronicle's Andrea Leinfelder -- “The company, which is also vying to be the first private outfit to complete a soft lunar landing, will attempt the maneuver at 4:30 p.m.
“Everyone just wants to see the United States return to the moon,” Intuitive Machines’ CEO Steve Altemus previously told the Houston Chronicle. “There has been a tremendous outpouring from everyone in the Houston, Texas area — and around the country — pulling for Intuitive Machines to be successful.”
The company's uncrewed lander, named Odysseus, launched Feb. 15 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Intuitive Machines' employees have been monitoring Odysseus around the clock, working eight-hour shifts.
The lander experienced a navigation issue shortly after liftoff but a software patch solved the problem. Odysseus has since continued its journey to the moon (capturing fantastic images of the Earth and the moon along the way) and began circling the celestial body on Wednesday.
This mission, IM-1, has garnered worldwide headlines and even a shout-out on the Las Vegas Sphere from Columbia Sportswear, which placed its heat insulation technology on the lander.
Thursday's landing will have live video commentary aired on NASA and Intuitive Machines' social media platforms and websites.
Only 23 missions from five countries have made soft lunar landings. And this mission could be the first to land as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The agency is hoping to develop a lunar economy — and support its upcoming astronaut missions — by providing funding, guidance and a guaranteed customer for companies developing uncrewed landers.
Intuitive Machines was racing another CLPS company, Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology, to the moon but that company had a propulsion issue shortly after liftoff and ultimately burned up in Earth's atmosphere.
That's just one of the many perils facing these moonshots. Extreme temperature swings can cause mechanisms to jam or not rotate as designed. Radiation can cause electronics to glitch.
And since the moon doesn’t have a substantive atmosphere, vehicles can’t rely on aerodynamic drag or parachutes to slow their descent. A lander must ignite its engines to decelerate while an onboard navigation system pinpoints how high it is above the lunar surface. An error could easily cause the engines to turn off too soon, leading to a crash.
Intuitive Machines has spent four years working to overcome such hurdles. And on Thursday, it hopes to enter the history books as the 24th mission to softly land on the moon." Houston Chronicle
DMN: “Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax resigns effective June 3 amid pressure from City Council” DMN
TX TRIB: “Child welfare officials move to reduce Texas judge's oversight of embattled foster system” Texas Tribune
DMN: “House Speaker Dade Phelan embroiled in cutthroat primary” DMN
HOU CHRON: “Sheila Jackson Lee has small lead over Democratic challenger, poll says” Houston Chronicle
EXTRA POINTS
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
> 6pm: NCAAM: SMU at Florida Atlantic (ESPN2)
> 6pm: NHL: Stars at Senators (ESPN+)
> 6:30pm: NBA: Suns at Mavericks (TNT)
> 7pm: NBA: Rockets at Pelicans
> 7pm: NCAAM: California Baptist at Abilene Christian (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NCAAM: Texas St. at Georgia Southern (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NCAAM: Southern Utah at UT-Arlington (ESPN+)
> 7pm: NCAAM: UT-RGV at Utah Valley (ESPN+)
> 8pm: NCAAM: Sam Houston at New Mexico St. (CBS Sports)
> 8pm: NCAAM: Louisiana Tech at UTEP (ESPN+)
> 9pm: NBA: Spurs at Kings
DALLAS COWBOYS: “Dak Prescott extension: Here's the real question for the Cowboys" DMN
NHL / HOUSTON: “NHL to Houston: Tilman Fertitta says talks have intensified" Houston Chronicle
TEXAS A&M FOOTBALL: “Johnny Manziel with Shannon Sharpe: QB blasts ex coach Kevin Sumlin" Houston Chronicle
NRG STADIUM: “World Cup 2026 will force NRG Stadium, other venues to change names" Houston Chronicle
INCARNATE WORD / TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE MEN'S BASKETBALL: “Incarnate Word basketball players suspended over postgame brawl" SAEN
TEXAS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: “Muhammad leads No. 5 Texas past Texas Tech 77-72" AP