Intuitive Machines fails to land Athena spacecraft on the Moon

On March 7, 2025, the Athena spacecraft, developed by Intuitive Machines, attempted a lunar landing after its previous mission's success with Odysseus, which had also faced challenges. During its approach to the Moon, the spacecraft was aware of its location but could not determine its altitude, leading to a landing that resembled 'sliding into second base.' Upon landing, Athena ended up in a shadowed crater, with temperatures plummeting to minus 280°F, which posed significant challenges for powering its systems. Despite the landing location being sub-optimal for solar energy, Intuitive Machines aimed to gather as much data as possible within a limited operational timeframe. The mission lasted for 13 hours, during which the operators maximized data collection despite not achieving the primary goal—reliable power generation from the solar arrays, which were covered in regolith and unable to charge effectively. Intuitive Machines faced criticism for the failure of the lander's altimeter, a crucial component responsible for determining the altitude during landing. This marked the second consecutive mission where this issue arose, raising concerns within the team about the ambitious goals set for Athena and other projects they were pursuing, including a lunar hop vehicle referred to as Gracie. The team's disappointment was palpable, particularly given their expectations for the mission. Nevertheless, the mission wasn't without its accomplishments. Operators noted that they managed to test important communications technologies that will be integral to a lunar data relay network being developed in partnership with NASA. This technical achievement suggests that despite the landing failure, strides are being made toward future lunar exploration and the ongoing development of a lunar economy, highlighting that progress is still possible even amidst setbacks.