1 / 10Private Lunar Launch: A private firm sent a lunar lander into space on Wednesday. Intuitive Machines, based in Texas, initiated the mission. The lander, called Athena, was launched by NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It hitched a ride on a SpaceX rocket for the journey.
2 / 10South Pole Target: Athena is heading towards the moon’s south pole region. Its landing site sits 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the pole. A drone on board will explore a nearby crater that stays in constant shadow. NASA watches this mission to study the lunar surface.
3 / 10Quick Moon Trip: The lander takes a direct path to its destination. It aims to touch down on March 6, 2025. Engineers designed it to land upright, unlike its predecessor. That earlier craft tipped over after hitting the surface too hard.
4 / 10Busy Lunar Traffic: Multiple spacecraft are currently racing to the moon. Firefly Aerospace, another US firm, launched its Blue Ghost lander earlier. It expects to land on March 2, 2025, ahead of Athena. Japan’s ispace lander follows, with a touchdown planned later in 2025.
5 / 10NASA’s Science Payloads: Athena carries experiments funded by NASA worth tens of millions. These tests prepare for future astronaut missions to the moon. A drill onboard will dig into the lunar soil for samples. NASA tracks this to support its Artemis program.
6 / 10Lessons from Last Time: Intuitive Machines achieved a lunar landing in 2024. That mission marked the first US touchdown in over 50 years. However, a broken distance-measuring tool led to a rough landing. The lander tipped sideways, disrupting its tasks.
7 / 10Engineering Fixes Applied: The firm corrected the distance tool for this mission. A stable landing is vital for the drone and two rovers to deploy. NASA’s drill also needs an upright position to work properly. “Certainly, we will be better this time,” said Trent Martin, senior vice president.
8 / 10Rare Lunar Success: Landing on the moon remains a tough challenge. Only Russia, the US, China, India, and Japan have done it. Failed attempts have left debris scattered across the lunar landscape. NASA monitors these missions as part of its moon strategy.
9 / 10Drone’s Dark Mission: The drone, named Grace, will leap into a shadowed crater. It uses hydrazine thrusters for movement and cameras for guidance. Instruments from Hungary and Germany will search for ice inside. This supports NASA’s hunt for lunar resources.
10 / 10Future Moon Plans: NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer satellite was launched with Athena. It will orbit the moon to map water locations soon. Another mission using SpaceX’s Starship aims for a crewed landing in 2027. NASA relies on these efforts for Artemis goals.
