Private Spacecraft Athena Set to Land on the Moon

The robotic lander, dubbed Athena, was developed by the Texas-based company Intuitive Machines. Launched into space on February 26, Athena has spent the past week journeying to the moon. This six-legged craft, roughly the size of a dishwasher, aims to touch down in the moon’s south polar region, where it will spend a week searching for the possible presence of water ice beneath the lunar surface.

A Historic Lunar Touchdown

If successful, Athena will become the second vehicle to land on the moon in just five days. A separate mission, also based in Texas, successfully landed on Sunday within a sprawling, 350-mile-wide basin on the near side of the moon—the side that always faces Earth. Both missions are part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, designed to support the development of moon landers by private-sector companies.

NASA’s Vision for Lunar Exploration

More than a dozen U.S. companies are participating in this initiative, which is crucial for NASA’s broader goal of returning astronauts to the moon. The upcoming landing of Athena will mark the second moonshot for Intuitive Machines. The company made history in February 2024 by becoming the first to successfully land a private spacecraft on the moon. This achievement was also significant as it marked the first time an American spacecraft had touched down on the lunar surface in over 50 years, since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Targeting the Moon’s South Polar Region

Both Intuitive Machines missions have targeted the moon’s south polar area. The previous lander, named Odysseus, landed near a crater called Malapert A, close to the lunar south pole. In contrast, Athena will aim for a plateau on a giant, flat-topped mountain known as Mons Mouton. Scientists believe that this region may harbor water ice, a critical resource for future crewed missions to the moon, especially for potential long-term stays.

Innovative Rovers and Technology

Athena is equipped with several rovers, including a suitcase-sized vehicle developed by the Colorado-based company Lunar Outpost, named MAPP (Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform). This rover is designed to navigate the landing site and capture 3D images of the terrain. Additionally, a thumb-sized rover known as “AstroAnt,” developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will assess the health of the MAPP rover and take periodic temperature readings.

Exploration and Communication

Mission controllers also plan to deploy a drone named Grace, which will make a series of hops around Athena’s landing site. This robot is expected to cover approximately 650 feet in four hops and could explore a nearby crater to scan for traces of hydrogen and deposits of ice. While Athena is on the lunar surface, it will also test a 4G communications system developed by Nokia. Company officials have indicated that such a network could facilitate communications, telemetry, and data transfer between different spacecraft on the moon.

Looking Ahead: More Lunar Missions

The excitement surrounding lunar exploration is far from over. This summer, a lander and tiny rover developed by a Japanese company called ispace will attempt to land on the moon, near the center of a significant lunar region. As private companies continue to push the boundaries of space exploration, the future of lunar missions looks promising.

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