In pics: US's first moon lander in 50 years embarks on lunar journey

The United States witnessed the launch of its first lunar lander in over 50 years on Monday, sparking a competitive space race among private companies aiming to conduct deliveries for Nasa and other clients. (AFP photo)

Astrobotic Technology's lander hitched a ride on United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan rocket, which swiftly set it on a course towards the moon for a planned landing in February. (AFP photo)

The Pittsburgh company aspires to become the first private entity to land on the moon, a feat achieved by only four countries. However, a Houston company with a ready-to-fly lander could potentially beat them to the lunar surface by taking a more direct path. (Agencies photo)

Nasa funded two companies millions to construct and operate lunar landers, tasked with pre-astronaut exploration and delivering Nasa tech, scientific experiments, and miscellaneous cargo. (AFP photo)

The first test flight of the Vulcan rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, an upgraded version of ULA's Atlas V. The 202-foot rocket is replacing the phased-out Atlas V and Delta IV, with Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' rocket company, providing the Vulcan's two main engines. (Agencies photo)

The upcoming Artemis program by the space agency, named after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology, aims to land astronauts on the moon's surface in the next few years. A lunar fly-around with four astronauts is anticipated, potentially occurring before the year's end. (AFP photo)

Next month, SpaceX is set to launch a lander for Intuitive Machines. The Nova-C lander's expedited one-week trajectory may result in both spacecraft attempting to land within days or even hours of each other. (AFP photo)