Intuitive Machines successfully launched their second lander, named Athena, to the moon on Wednesday evening via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The spacecraft is on a path to land in Mons Mouton, closer to the moon’s south pole than any previous spacecraft. The main payload is a drill for NASA, part of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Alongside the drill, Athena is carrying three robotic rovers and a small flying “hopper.”
One of the rovers is a test for the first cellphone network on the moon, financed by Nokia and built by Lunar Outpost. Another rover, Yaoki, was built by a Japanese company called Dymon. Additionally, Athena will deploy a small rocket-powered hopper that will have the capability to fly long distances on the moon.
Intuitive Machines’ previous lander, Odysseus, faced challenges due to a safety switch oversight during launch preparations that led to the lander toppling over. The company has since made adjustments to ensure a successful landing this time. Athena will be joined by two other spacecraft, Lunar Trailblazer and Odin, on the Falcon 9 rocket.
The mission is set to last for less than one lunar day, until the sun sets. During a lunar eclipse on March 14, the lander will rely on battery power to survive. Athena is the third commercial lander launched toward the moon this year and will be joined by two others, Blue Ghost and Resilience, which are scheduled to arrive before and after Athena respectively.
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