Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander module, known as Athena, experienced a partial soft landing on its side on March 6, 2024, due to its engine operating in idle mode during touchdown. This incident occurred in the Mons Mouton region near the lunar south pole, with the landing taking place at 20:35 MSK. Approximately 3.5 hours post-landing, CEO Steve Altemus reported that the module was not in the expected upright position, and subsequent data revealed conflicting information regarding its orientation. Senior Vice President Tim Crane noted the laser altimeters produced noisy data throughout the descent. Despite the landing’s irregularity, some equipment on Nova-C remains operational as the team investigates ways to continue mission IM-2. Athena is designed to operate for one lunar day, roughly equivalent to ten Earth days, focusing on investigating subsurface water ice. The launch of Athena occurred aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center on February 26, 2024. This operation marks a significant milestone, making Intuitive Machines the second U.S. company to achieve a lunar landing in a week, following Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 module on March 2, 2024, underscoring the ongoing American advancements in lunar exploration.
