Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Landing: A Mission Cut Short
Intuitive Machines’ second attempt to softly land a spacecraft on the Moon concluded prematurely, less than a day after the touchdown. The mission, centered around the Athena lander, faced significant challenges almost immediately upon arrival, ultimately leading to an early termination due to the lander’s unexpected position.
The Athena spacecraft successfully reached the lunar surface on Thursday, approximately at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time. However, the landing deviated from the intended plan. The lander ended up approximately 250 meters away from its targeted landing zone within the Mons Mouton region, situated near the Moon’s southern pole.
Initial data and images relayed back from the mission quickly revealed a concerning reality: Athena was lying on its side, nestled inside a crater. This precarious position directly impacted the spacecraft’s functionality, particularly its ability to generate power. With the solar panels rendered ineffective due to their unfavorable orientation and the harsh, frigid temperatures within the crater, the lander’s batteries were rapidly depleted.
Intuitive Machines released a statement on Friday, indicating the mission’s conclusion. "With the direction of the sun, the orientation of the solar panels, and extreme cold temperatures in the crater, Intuitive Machines does not expect Athena to recharge," the company wrote. The focus has now shifted to thoroughly analyzing the data collected during the mission, despite its truncated duration.
This marks the second instance of an Intuitive Machines lander ending up on its side after reaching the lunar surface. This latest setback is undoubtedly a significant blow to the company’s ambitions of establishing a reliable and regular lunar payload delivery service.
The Athena mission, launched on February 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, was part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The CLPS program seeks to engage private companies in lunar exploration, with NASA acting as a customer for these services. Athena carried a suite of NASA science instruments and technological payloads, including the Micro-Nova robot named Grace. Grace was designed to hop around nearby craters on the Moon, providing a unique perspective on the lunar landscape and collecting valuable data.
Athena entered lunar orbit on the Monday preceding the landing attempt. The descent phase was described as "nail-biting," highlighting the inherent risks and challenges involved in lunar landings. In the immediate aftermath of the landing, Intuitive Machines engineers were working to determine the lander’s precise orientation.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus expressed uncertainty about Athena’s attitude on the Moon. "We don’t believe we’re in the correct attitude on the surface of the Moon yet again," Altemus stated. "I don’t have all the data yet to say exactly what the attitude of the vehicle is."
Despite the initial uncertainty, Altemus remained optimistic about the possibility of salvaging some aspect of the mission. He spoke of collaborating with NASA science and technology teams to identify the most critical science objectives that could still be achieved. However, with Athena’s power reserves exhausted, these hopes have been dashed.
This is not the first time Intuitive Machines has faced this type of challenge. Their inaugural lunar lander, Odysseus, launched in February 2024, also experienced a less-than-perfect landing. Odysseus successfully reached the lunar surface, but it appears that one of its landing legs may have snagged during the descent, causing the lander to topple over and come to rest on its side against a rock. Despite the awkward position, Odysseus managed to operate for approximately seven days on the lunar surface. That mission was celebrated because Intuitive Machines became the first private company to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon.
The early conclusion of the Athena mission represents a significant disappointment for Intuitive Machines and NASA. The valuable science payloads aboard Athena will not be deployed or used to their full potential. The data obtained during the brief operational period will still provide valuable insights, but the scope of the mission’s scientific contributions will be limited.
Despite this setback, Intuitive Machines remains committed to its lunar ambitions. The company plans to launch its third lunar mission later this year. The company will be looking to learn from the challenges of the first two missions and refine their landing procedures to improve the chances of a successful, upright landing. Hopefully, on this next attempt, the spacecraft will stick the landing correctly and achieve the mission’s intended goals. The success of commercial lunar landers is essential for the future of lunar exploration and development, and Intuitive Machines hopes to play a leading role in this endeavor. The company’s ability to overcome these setbacks and continue innovating will be crucial to achieving this vision.
