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Oops, We Tipped It Again: Mission Over for Sideways US Lander

Author: Issam AHMED

Date: March 8, 2025

Intuitive Machines' second moon mission has ended in disappointment after the company confirmed its spacecraft, Athena, tipped over upon landing and was unable to recharge its solar-powered batteries. This incident echoes the troubles faced in the firm’s previous lunar landing attempt last year.

Premature Conclusion to a Promising Mission

The mission was highly anticipated in the space exploration community for its innovative payloads, which included a futuristic hopping drone, multiple rovers, an ice drill, and a test for a 4G network on the lunar surface. The Athena lander was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, covering more than a million kilometers through space to reach the Moon.

After successfully reaching lunar orbit, Athena's unfortunate landing occurred at an awkward angle, approximately 250 meters from its intended landing site at a location known as the Mons Mouton plateau. This area is closer to the lunar south pole than any previous mission.

Landing Miscalculations

Athena came down face-first into a crater, resulting in the spacecraft resting on an incline with its solar panels misaligned and unable to recharge. The photograph released by Intuitive Machines illustrated the vehicle's precarious position, with Earth visible through the lander’s tilted legs.

Faulty Instruments and Navigation Issues

“With the direction of the sun, the orientation of the solar panels, and extreme cold temperatures in the crater, Intuitive Machines does not expect Athena to recharge,” the company stated, acknowledging the mission's premature conclusion.

NASA’s Nicky Fox, associate administrator for science, noted that every success and setback serves as a learning opportunity to advance future scientific exploration efforts. NASA was able to power on and move the ice drill, but it was not used for its planned operations, which included capturing images of a lunar eclipse expected to occur shortly after the landing.

Technology Failures

Intuitive Machines executives indicated that problems with the lander's laser altimeter were a significant contributing factor to the poor landing. The Terrain Relative Navigation laser, which provides altitude and speed data, delivered inconsistent and unreliable readings, while Hazard Relative Navigation sensors offered only sporadic signals. Both issues mirrored failures from the prior mission, in which the Odysseus lander fell due to similar technical difficulties.

Comparative Insights: Challenges from Athena's Predecessor

Athena was designed similarly to its predecessor, Odysseus, which also had a tall and slender design—standing at 15.6 feet (4.8 meters) which raised concerns about stability during landing. Despite the design confidence expressed by CEO Steve Altemus regarding Athena’s weight distribution, it was not enough to avert the unfortunate outcome.

“This setback is disappointing, but we are committed to using this as a foundation to improve upon in future missions,” said Altemus.

Recent Competitors

In stark contrast to Intuitive Machines, Texas-based Firefly Aerospace recently succeeded in launching its Blue Ghost lander during the same time frame as Athena's mission. This competition is intense and highlights the importance of reliable technology in present-day lunar explorations.

Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program

These missions were conducted as part of NASA’s $2.6 billion Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which is designed to capitalize on private industrial capabilities to reduce costs and enhance NASA's Artemis program aiming to return astronauts to the Moon and to eventually reach Mars.

Conclusion: Learning and Future Missions

Looking towards the future, Intuitive Machines plans to continue its participation in additional lunar missions. However, the company will assess data from the recent mission to gain insights that will influence their design and operational strategies for the following missions.

Relevant Data Tables

Mission Overview

Athena Mission Payloads

Technical Issues Comparison

Future Mission Plans

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