Intuitive Machines’ second lunar lander has successfully traveled to the Moon, but its journey was not without issues. The Athena vehicle may not be in an upright position, similar to the company’s Odysseus lander, which tipped over upon touchdown in February. According to CEO Steve Altemus, who spoke during a post-landing news conference, it is possible that Athena is not in the correct attitude on the Moon’s surface. He stated that the company will confirm this in the coming days once they receive an image from the lunar reconnaissance orbital camera.

Although the lander’s inertial measurement unit suggests a sideways orientation, it has touched down approximately 100 miles from the lunar south pole, which is its intended location. The company will continue to monitor the situation and gather more information to determine the lander’s status.

Athena is part of Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission, a partnership with NASA aimed at returning crewed missions to the Moon. The lander carries various payloads and scientific instruments designed to search for evidence of water on the lunar surface.

Intuitive Machines’ previous lander, Odysseus, was the first privately owned spacecraft to reach the Moon’s surface, although it toppled over. In contrast, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost spacecraft successfully landed on the lunar surface earlier this week and remains upright. As for Athena, it is currently charging on the surface and communicating with the mission team on Earth, but its performance is sub-optimal.

CEO Altemus noted that the company is not receiving the expected level of power generation and communication, which may impact the lander’s ten-day mission. However, the company has taken power conservation measures to extend the mission’s duration and accomplish its objectives. Unfortunately, The New York Times has confirmed that the battery is dead and won’t recharge, rendering the payloads and instruments unusable.

Update, March 6, 2025, 2:25PM ET: This story has been updated to include new reporting regarding the operational status of Athena.