Intuitive Machines, a Houston-based aerospace company, is preparing for the final descent of its Athena lander to the Moon’s surface, marking a potentially historic moment for the company and the growing commercial space industry.
Scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 2025, the lander is set to touch down at 11:32 a.m. CT (12:32 p.m. ET), and if successful, it will become the second lunar touchdown for a US company in the same week, joining the efforts of Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost.
The mission, part of the IM-2 program, aims to further explore the Moon’s southern pole region, which has garnered attention for its potential water ice deposits. These deposits could serve as a valuable resource for future lunar and deep space missions. The Athena lander, a 15-foot-tall (4.6-meter) robotic spacecraft, will touch down on the Moon’s surface near the Mons Mouton plateau, approximately 100 miles from the lunar south pole.
This touchdown marks a significant achievement for Intuitive Machines, which made history in 2024 with its first successful lunar landing. However, its initial mission, which landed the Odysseus lander, faced complications when the vehicle tipped over, cutting the mission short. The Athena lander is positioned for a more successful mission, using advanced technology and robotic tools to search for water ice. During its mission, Athena will deploy several instruments, including a drill, hopper, and rover, to investigate the lunar terrain for water ice across the surface.
The exploration of the Moon’s south pole is particularly critical, as it is believed to house substantial reserves of water ice, which could be converted into drinking water, breathable air, or even rocket fuel for further space exploration. The success of Athena’s mission could provide invaluable data for NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon by 2027 and establish a sustainable human presence.
Athena’s payload includes the NASA-developed PRIME-1 drill, which will search for water-rich material just below the lunar surface. Additionally, the lander will deploy a rover, named MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform), designed to take 3D surface maps, test cellular communication systems, and collect a small sample of lunar soil. NASA’s symbolic purchase of the sample for $1 highlights the growing role of private companies in space exploration, as both Intuitive Machines and Firefly Aerospace contribute to NASA’s broader goals of space exploration through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.
With input from CNN and the New York Times.
