The privately built Athena spacecraft is beaming data back to NASA scientists on Earth, it was announced Thursday. But the craft didn't land exactly as expected, and scientists aren't sure of its exact location.
This is already the second ship to land on the Moon in less than a week.
“We know it's sending back data, and we look forward to working with Intuitive Machines to get as much scientific and technological information as possible during its stay on the Moon,” Dr. Nicky Fox, NASA's associate administrator for science missions, said at a news conference Thursday.
The Athena lander is on the lunar surface charging its batteries and transmitting information, but Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus noted that scientists will need to make some changes to accomplish the necessary tasks.
“I have to say that we're not yet sure that we're in the right place on the moon,” Altemus said during a press conference.
“However, I do not yet have all the data to determine exactly where and in what condition the craft is. We are currently collecting photographs and transmitting them to Earth, and we are also waiting for a picture from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter camera, which will allow us to confirm this in the coming days when we receive this data,” he added.
“Any time you send a spacecraft to Florida for launch and a week later it ends up on the moon, I consider that a success.”
Developed by Intuitive Machines, the dishwasher-sized Athena was set to explore the moon's south polar region as part of a week-long mission to search for potential water ice beneath its surface.
He won't be alone on Earth's main satellite, however, as Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander successfully touched down on the near side of the moon on Sunday in the Mare Crisium basin. Blue Ghost's mission includes experiments provided by NASA.
Blue Ghost and Athena are part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, designed to support the development of lunar landers by private companies. The program's primary goal is to one day return astronauts to the moon by employing companies to deliver technology, cargo, and scientific research.
Athena entered lunar orbit on Monday, collecting data while IM checked out the lander's systems, then completed its descent orbit insertion at 4:33 a.m. CDT Thursday in preparation for landing on the lunar mountain Mons Mouton.
Athena then landed successfully at 11:57 PM CDT, but it took the IM team several minutes to confirm the landing was successful and Athena was able to complete its mission.
The spacecraft carries experimental cellular communications equipment, a rover and a device known as a hopper that can leave Athena to explore the shadowed crater in search of water ice.
The presence of such ice could help future astronauts produce water, rocket fuel and oxygen directly on the Moon, thus eliminating the need to transport these vital resources from Earth.
Athena will also have a unique opportunity to view the solar eclipse on March 14, but unlike the eclipse on Earth, the Earth itself will block the view of the Sun.
Athena is the second spacecraft from Intuitive Machines, which first sent a lander called Odysseus to the moon in February 2024. It is the first American spacecraft to land on the lunar surface since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
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