Houston, US: Intuitive Machines, a US-based private space firm, announced on Thursday that its Athena robotic lander likely landed sideways on the Moon, repeating a similar issue from its previous mission.
The six-legged Athena lander was designed to deliver 11 payloads, including scientific instruments, and descended over Mons Mouton, a flat-topped mountain near the lunar south pole.
Landing Issues and Technical Challenges
Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, stated, “We don’t believe we’re in the correct attitude on the surface of the Moon, yet again.” A malfunction in the laser range finder is suspected to have interfered with the planned soft landing.
Despite the issue, Athena continues to transmit data back to Earth. The mission control team remains uncertain about its exact orientation but confirmed that the lander is powered on and its engines have been shut down.
Mission Details and NASA’s Involvement
Athena took nearly an hour to descend to the lunar surface after dropping out of orbit. It carried key payloads, including an ice drill, a drone, and two rovers, as part of its scientific objectives.
This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which aims to support private companies in developing cost-effective lunar landers. Other companies, such as Firefly and Astrobotic Technology, are also participating in this initiative.
Lunar Exploration and Previous Successes
So far, only five countries—the Soviet Union, the US, China, India, and Japan—have achieved soft landings on the Moon. India’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed near the Moon’s south pole in 2023.
While Athena’s final status remains unclear, the mission represents another step in NASA’s goal to send astronauts to the Moon by 2027 under its Artemis program.