A private U.S. lunar lander is in orbit around the moon, a day before it will attempt to land on the surface. Intuitive Machines’ spacecraft launched last week and reached the moon Wednesday. On Thursday, flight controllers in Houston will attempt a landing. A smooth touchdown would return the U.S. to the lunar surface for the first time since NASA astronauts closed out the Apollo program in 1972. If successful, it would also become the first private outfit to ace a moon landing. Another U.S. company tried last month, but it never got to the moon because of a fuel leak.