Intuitive Machines’ private lunar lander, named Athena, has ceased operations after an unsuccessful landing attempt left it positioned sideways in a crater near the Moon’s south pole. This announcement came just a day after the mishap. The lander, which launched the previous week, intended to touch down at a specific location but ended up over 250 metres away in a cold environment that posed challenges for its equipment.
Despite the unfortunate landing, Athena managed to transmit images confirming its location and activate several experiments before going silent. The lander, designed with a variety of scientific tools including an ice drill, drone, and two rovers for NASA and other customers, now faces difficulties in recharging its batteries, primarily because of the orientation of its solar panels and the extreme temperatures within the crater.
In a statement, Intuitive Machines acknowledged the end of the mission but indicated that efforts to evaluate the data collected would continue. This attempt marks the second landing for the company, with a previous effort resulting in a similar sideways landing, although that earlier mission managed to function longer despite issues with communication and operation.
In related news, another Texas-based firm, Firefly Aerospace, successfully conducted a landing of its Blue Ghost lander as part of NASA’s commercial lunar delivery program, marking a contrasting outcome in lunar exploration activities.