A private space mission to explore deep space has encountered major technical failures just hours after launch. The Odin spacecraft, operated by AstroForge, was intended to pave the way for asteroid mining operations but an unexpected malfunction left it drifting 300,000 kilometers from Earth with no communication.
Launched on February 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, Odin was headed to Asteroid 2022 OB5 after completing a lunar flyby. However, shortly after separation, communication failed due to issues with the spacecraft’s antenna polarization and power amplifier. Initially, engineers were unable to reestablish contact, but an amateur satellite network picked up a weak signal from Odin, proving it was operational.
Further analysis revealed that the spacecraft had started tumbling in space and experiencing interference signals that made it impossible to communicate. The team now hopes to reestablish contact as the spacecraft rotates and realigns itself for power and communication.
Despite the grim outlook, AstroForge remains optimistic and is learning from this setback. The company believes that space exploration requires perseverance and that every challenge is an opportunity to improve its technology. With asteroid mining still in its future plans, Odin’s malfunction will not deter AstroForge’s ambitions.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/03/private-spacecraft-disappears-300000-km-away-from-earth-engineers-baffled-by-sudden-loss