Athena moon landing highlights: Engine shutdown, status uncertain

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The Intuitive Machines team is trying to assess the situation. This does brings back memories of the Intuitive Machines-1 mission when, during the landing, one of the lander's legs broke off, causing it to tip over and come to rest at a 30-degree angle.

Intuitive Machines is trying to assess what has happened. First image show the spacecraft during Powered Descent. The spacecraft engine is shut down, but landing confirmation is awaited.

Athena lander has begun pitching over manoeuvre as it orients itself for a landing near the Moon's South Pole. The spacecraft has been coming down at a staggering speed before it began slowing down to land on the Moon. 

Athena begins powered descent autonomously as the spacecraft begins to slow down using its thrusters. 

Athena is targeting the “Mons Mouton” region of the Moon. This landing site is approximately about 160 kilometres from the Moon’s south pole. -84.78°, 29.13°E, closer to the pole than attempted by any previous lunar mission. Mons Mouton is named after the mathematician Melba Mouton, one of the first “human computers” who played a key role in the early field of spacecraft trajectory and geodynamics.

Athena is expected to land in a lunar highland terrain, and will then deploy rovers and Intuitive Machines’ Micro Nova Hopper, named Grace, to explore the local area. 

Grace is designed to take multiple flights to collect science data using instruments from Hungary and Germany. One of these hops is expected to be into a small permanently shadowed crater approximately one quarter of a mile from the landing site. This would be the first time that a permanently shadowed crater, somewhere the sun has never shone, has been explored. 

After liftoff on February 26, Athena established a stable attitude, solar charging, and radio communications contact with our mission operations center in Houston and clicked these stunning pictures of Earth. 

Athena will conduct the deployment of the first mobile network on the Moon. The Lunar Surface Communication System (LSCS), developed by Nokia, will utilise the same cellular technology used on Earth to establish connectivity on the lunar surface. 

The network will enable high-definition video streaming, command-and-control communications, and telemetry data transfer between the lander and lunar vehicles.

This network is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of space, including extreme temperatures and radiation.

A key objective of IM-2 is the deployment of NASA’s TRIDENT Drill and MSolo mass spectrometer to probe up to one meter beneath the lunar surface, showcasing the technology needed to detect essential volatiles like water and CO₂.

Five nations have made successful soft landings in the past - the then-Soviet Union, the U.S., China, India and, last year, Japan. The U.S. and China are both rushing to put their astronauts on the moon later this decade, each courting allies and giving their private sectors a key role in spacecraft development.

India's first uncrewed moon landing, Chandrayaan-3 in 2023, touched down near the lunar south pole. The region is eyed by major space powers for its potential for resource extraction once humans return to the surface - subsurface water ice could theoretically be converted into rocket fuel.

Grace, a 3-foot (1-meter) drone, is designed to make three progressively higher and longer test hops across the lunar surface using hydrazine-fueled thrusters.

If successful, it will leap into a nearby permanently shadowed crater, estimated to be about 65 feet (20 meters) deep. Scientific instruments from Hungary and Germany will conduct measurements at the crater's base, seeking evidence of frozen water.

This mission will provide the first close examination inside one of the many shadowed craters at the Moon's poles, where scientists believe substantial amounts of ice may be present.

If confirmed, this ice could be converted into water, breathable air, and even rocket fuel by future explorers.

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander made history on March 2, 2025, by successfully landing on the Moon, becoming the second private spacecraft to achieve this feat.

NASA is exploring the Moon’s South Pole primarily because it holds key resources and scientific opportunities that could support future lunar missions and deep space exploration. Here’s why this region is of great interest:

1. Water Ice Reserves

• The South Pole has permanently shadowed craters that are believed to contain water ice.
• This ice could be converted into drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel, making long-term lunar missions more sustainable.

2. Sustained Sunlight for Power

• Unlike other parts of the Moon, some areas near the South Pole receive constant sunlight for most of the year.
• This is ideal for solar power generation, reducing reliance on nuclear or battery-based energy sources.

3. Scientific Discoveries

• The Moon’s South Pole may have untouched geological records from billions of years ago.
• Studying these areas could provide insights into the early Solar System, planetary formation, and Earth’s history.

IM-1 mission ended seven days after landing, as Odysseus’ mission was not intended to survive the harsh temperatures of the lunar night. Before its batteries were depleted, flight controllers tucked Odie into a configuration that could call home if various systems outperformed manufacturer expectations.

Athena's primary objective is to explore the lunar terrain and search for water ice, a crucial resource for future human missions. The lander is equipped with a deep-digging drill and a mass spectrometer to analyze lunar soil for substances like frozen water.

Additionally, it carries a hopping spacecraft named Grace and a small rover called MAPP, developed by Lunar Outpost.

Flight controllers have confirmed that Athena's lunar orbit insertion was accurate enough to forego the optional lunar correction manoeuvre, ensuring the lander is on track for its intended landing site.

Athena Moon mission is coasting above the Moon at an altitude of 70 kilometres. 

Athena completed Descent Orbit Insertion at 4:33 a.m. CST. Right now, flight controllers are gathering data and checking the lander’s landing systems for accuracy. It will coats from 100 kilometers to 10 kilometres above the Moon. 

Athena's designated landing site is Mons Mouton near Moon's South Pole. 

Athena's landing site is approximately 160 kilometers from the Moon's South Pole, near the Mons Mouton plateau, and is distinct from the Shaksgam crater region where India's Vikram lander successfully touched down in August 20232.

Intuitive Machines' Athena lunar lander has successfully entered Low Lunar Orbit (LLO) and is set for a historic touchdown near the Moon's South Pole on March 6, 2025. Following a precise lunar orbit insertion on March 3, Athena is currently in excellent health, awaiting optimal sunlight conditions at her designated landing site, Mons Mouton.

Welcome to the India Today Science LIVE blog as we bring you all the updates of Athena lander ready for touchdown on the Moon. 

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