Private Intuitive Machines moon lander Athena has been found in its crater grave on the lunar surface, and NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has captured stunning images of the scene. The second lunar lander from Houston-based company Intuitive Machines, Athena tipped over during its landing on March 6, resulting in a fatal failure.
The lander’s solar panels were unable to capture enough sunlight due to its orientation, leading to its demise. Despite this, Athena managed to beam back a few photos of its surroundings before shutting down. LRO captured the images on March 7 and again three days later, providing a closer look at the lander within a 65-foot-wide crater.
Athena’s mission, known as IM-2, was part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which aims to support agency science instruments on private moon landers. The experiments on board Athena did not receive their planned science time due to the lander’s failure. However, its brief lifespan could provide valuable insights for future exploration in this region.
The southern pole region of the moon is challenging to access due to harsh sun angles and limited communication with Earth. Intuitive Machines aims to open up this area for further space exploration using the lessons learned from Athena’s mission. Another CLPS-supported lander, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost, recently touched down in the moon’s northern hemisphere.
LRO has also captured photos of Blue Ghost, which remains healthy and is expected to continue operating until March 16. The incident highlights the challenges faced by private lunar missions but also offers opportunities for future improvements and advancements in space exploration.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/dead-athena-moon-lander-seen-130000390.html