SSLC team member, Chris Maruyama, speaks with Gwen Muranaka of The Rafu Shimpo about Moon mission

After some tense moments, the Odysseus lunar lander safely touched down on the Moon on Feb. 22, marking the first time in 50 years a U.S. spacecraft reached the lunar surface.

There were cheers and celebration for the historic feat — the first commercial spacecraft to land safely on the Moon — but especially in Torrance at the offices of Scorpius Space Launch Company (SSLC).

In an interview with The Rafu Shimpo, Chris Maruyama, Scorpius manager of composite operations, said with pride, “It was definitely one of the mountaintops for my life and a career aspiration.”