Athena Lunar Lander Successfully Lands Near Moon’s South Pole on IM-2 Mission

The Athena lander has successfully touched down near the Moon’s south pole, though mission teams are assessing its status.

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 7 March 2025 23:18 IST

Athena Lunar Lander Successfully Lands Near Moon’s South Pole on IM-2 Mission

Photo Credit: Intuitive Machines

Athena Lunar Lander Touches Down Near Moon’s South Pole on IM-2 Mission

Highlights

Athena lander touches down near Moon’s south pole on IM-2 mission
NASA’sPRIME-1 to search for lunar water ice with TRIDENT drill
Nokia’s 4G network debuts on the Moon with Athena lander

The private lunar lander Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, has touched down near the Moon's south pole, though the exact condition of the spacecraft remains unclear. The Houston-based company has confirmed that the lander is on the surface, but mission controllers are working to determine its orientation. The landing, which took place on March 6 at 12:32 p.m. EST, was part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The mission, known as IM-2, aims to deliver scientific instruments to the lunar surface to investigate resources and conduct technology demonstrations. A post-landing press conference has been scheduled to provide further details on the lander's status.

Mission and Landing Details

According to reports, the IM-2 mission was launched on February 26 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Athena entered lunar orbit on March 3, with no additional course corrections required due to the precision of its approach. The descent sequence included multiple automated maneuvers, such as Terrain Relative Navigation and Hazard Detection and Avoidance, to ensure a safe landing at Mons Mouton. The lander's final descent saw it slow to a rate of 3 feet per second before making contact with the surface. Confirmation signals were expected within 15 seconds of landing.

Athena Lunar Mission Set to Deploy 'Gracie' Hopper on Moon

Scientific Goals and Onboard Technology

As reported by Space.com, Athena carries NASA's Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1), which consists of a drill known as TRIDENT and a mass spectrometer (MSolo) to search for water ice beneath the lunar surface. A secondary spacecraft, Grace, has also been deployed to explore a permanently shadowed crater. Additionally, the lander features the first-ever 4G/LTE network on the Moon, provided by Nokia Bell Labs, and a Laser Retro-Reflector Array (LRA) for future navigation experiments. Operations are planned to continue for approximately ten days before lunar nightfall.

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Further reading: Athena, Intuitive Machines, NASA, IM-2 Mission, Lunar Lander, Moon Landing, SpaceX, Falcon 9, Nokia 4G, Lunar South Pole, PRIME-1, TRIDENT Drill, Space Exploration