Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Mission Comes to an Early End

Less than a day after Intuitive Machines successfully landed on the Moon, the company announced that its mission had come to a premature end. The Athena spacecraft, which touched down on the lunar surface on Thursday at around 12:30 p.m. ET, ended up lying sideways on the Moon’s surface.

Challenges on the Lunar Surface

Athena’s landing was not ideal, as it landed approximately 250 meters away from its targeted site in the Mons Mouton region, located in the southern pole of the Moon. Images from the mission revealed that the spacecraft was on its side inside a crater, and its batteries had died. The company stated that due to the direction of the sun, the orientation of the solar panels, and the extreme cold temperatures within the crater, it did not expect Athena to recharge.

Conclusion of the Mission

As a result, Intuitive Machines declared the mission concluded and teams are now assessing the data collected during the mission. This unfortunate outcome marks the second time one of the company’s landers has toppled sideways, posing a setback to its goal of regularly launching payloads to the Moon.

Background of the Mission

Athena launched on February 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The lander was equipped with various NASA science tools and instruments, including a Micro-Nova robot named Grace, designed to hop in and out of nearby craters on the Moon. After entering lunar orbit on Monday, the lander attempted to touch down on the surface, culminating in a nail-biting descent.

Previous Experience

Intuitive Machines had a similar experience with its first lunar lander, Odysseus, which was launched in February 2024. Although Odysseus reached the lunar surface, its landing was not smooth, and it tipped over on its side, ending up lying sideways on a rock. Despite this, the mission operated for seven days on the lunar surface, marking a significant achievement as the first private lander to land on the Moon.

Future Plans

This unfortunate ending for the follow-up mission does not deter Intuitive Machines, as the company plans to launch its third mission later this year. Hopefully, this next attempt will result in a successful landing with the spacecraft upright on the lunar surface.