The Intuitive Machines-1 (IM-1) commercial lander, in a collaborative mission with NASA and SpaceX, made a successful landing on the Moon on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at 6:23 pm. The lander carried an etched disc commemorating the life and teachings of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016), the late spiritual leader of the BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu organisation.
The mission director, Tim Crane, announced, “Odysseus has found its new home,” sparking celebrations and a loving tribute to Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The disc, developed by Relative Dynamics, bore the spiritual leader’s life motto, ‘In the joy of others lies our own, in the good of others abides our own,’ a profound message that accompanied IM-1 on its remarkable journey to the Moon’s south pole.
This mission marked the first controlled descent to the lunar surface by a U.S. spacecraft in over 50 years. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson hailed it as a “triumph for humanity.” The mission symbolized the convergence of a universal message of harmony and compassion, as lived by a spiritual leader, with the pinnacle of scientific and technological innovation, culminating in this historic lunar landing.
Ahead of the landing, Intuitive Machines shared a message on LinkedIn, stating, “Created in coordination with Intuitive Machines and Relative Dynamics Inc., the IM-1 mission will fly an eternal tribute to His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the fifth guru of the BAPS Swaminarayan organization. The etching honors the life and service of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, a Hindu spiritual leader who championed the universal human value of selfless service.”
The disc was blessed by the current spiritual leader of BAPS, His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, during the centennial celebrations of Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Amdavad, India, on December 29, 2022. It carries Mahant Swami Maharaj’s heartfelt prayer of peace and happiness for all.
Intuitive Machines CEO Stephen Altemus emphasized the shared values for all of humanity, stating, “It is clear that space exploration endeavors are for all of us, all of humanity, to strive for and share in.”
In this manner, a universal message of harmony, unity, and compassion reached the Moon, embodying the Hindu scriptural sentiment, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning, ‘The world is one family.’
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