Athena Lander Touches Down on the Moon, But Encounters Trouble

Intuitive Machines' Athena Lander Touches Down on the Moon, But Encounters Trouble

Intuitive Machines' Athena lunar lander successfully touched down on the Moon on Thursday, March 6, 2025. However, the landing was not without its challenges. The lander encountered issues with its laser navigation system during the final approach, and its exact orientation on the surface remains unclear.

Initial reports suggested that Athena might have fallen over, similar to the company's first lunar lander a year ago. Controllers quickly turned off some of the lander's equipment to conserve power while investigating the situation.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding its orientation, Athena is communicating with controllers and generating solar power. Mission managers are working to assess the situation and determine whether the lander's scientific instruments, including a drill and a drone, can be deployed.

This landing marks the second lunar touchdown this week by a Texas company under NASA's commercial lunar delivery program. On Sunday, Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its Blue Ghost lunar lander on the Moon's near side.

These back-to-back landings are part of NASA's efforts to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon and prepare for future human missions. The agency is partnering with private companies to develop and operate lunar landers and other technologies.

While some of these missions may encounter challenges, NASA officials believe that the increased frequency of private lunar missions will ultimately benefit scientific exploration and pave the way for future human exploration.