Intuitive Machines’ Athena Lunar Mission Ends After Lander Tips Over

The Athena spacecraft landed near the moon’s south pole but failed to operate as planned due to a faulty touchdown in challenging terrain.

Athena, the lunar lander by Intuitive Machines, landed 250 meters off its target site in the Mons Mouton region but tipped over on its side in a crater.
The lander’s orientation prevented its solar panels from generating power, leading to a rapid depletion of its batteries and the mission’s early conclusion.
While Athena transmitted some data and completed limited milestones, key payloads like NASA’s PRIME-1 drill were unable to fully operate as intended.
This marked Intuitive Machines’ second consecutive lunar lander mishap, following a similar issue with its Odysseus lander in 2024.
NASA emphasized the high-risk nature of lunar exploration and its commitment to learning from challenges as it collaborates with private companies under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.