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Private US Company Set for Second Moon Landing Attempt

Intuitive Machines made headlines last year by becoming the first private company to successfully land a robot on the moon; however, this groundbreaking achievement was somewhat overshadowed by the unfortunate incident where the lander tipped onto its side upon landing. Following the lessons learned from this mission, the Houston-based company is preparing for its second lunar landing attempt, setting its sights on a flawless touchdown with its new lander, Athena.

Athena: Intuitive Machines' hexagonal-shaped lander, set for launch via SpaceX.

Preparation for Launch

Athena is scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the launch window opening at 7:02 PM (0002 GMT) on Wednesday. If all goes according to plan, the lander aims to touch down on the moon around March 6, 2025, specifically targeting the Mons Mouton plateau, a site closer to the lunar south pole than any previous missions.

Scientific Endeavors

Athena will be equipped with a suite of scientific instruments, which include:

• Drill: Designed to search for ice beneath the moon's surface.
• Hopping drone named Grace: Named after computer scientist Grace Hopper, this drone is engineered to navigate the moon's challenging terrain characterized by rugged inclines, boulders, and craters, thus enhancing capabilities for future crewed missions.
• Small rover: The rover will test a lunar cellular network provided by Nokia Bell Labs, implementing a system to relay commands, images, and video between the lander, rover, and hopper.

The Landscape of Lunar Exploration

Previously, successful soft lunar landings were limited to a select few national space agencies with substantial funding. However, this trend is changing as the US aims to normalize private missions through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program—a public-private partnership designed to deliver essential NASA hardware to the lunar surface at a fraction of the cost associated with traditional missions. This mission aligns with the broader objectives of the Artemis program, which seeks to return astronauts to the moon while leveraging insights gained to pave the way for eventual human missions to Mars.

“This is a really sophisticated mission enabled by the partnerships between the government and U.S. industry,” said Joel Kearns, NASA's deputy associate administrator for exploration.

Navigating Challenges

One of the most critical hurdles for the upcoming launch is achieving a successful landing—something that eluded Intuitive Machines during its inaugural mission with the Odysseus lander, which launched in February 2024. During that mission, Odysseus executed an unintended maneuver that resulted in a tip-over after catching a foot on the lunar surface, landing at a 30-degree angle that constrained its solar power generation capability and hindered completion of planned NASA experiments.

Landing on the moon presents unique challenges, as Kearns highlighted. Unlike Earth, where atmosphere, wings, and parachutes aid in landing, lunar landings heavily rely on precise control of thrusters to moderate descent speed due to the almost non-existent atmosphere on the moon.

To address some of the critiques from the IM-1 mission, Intuitive Machines has implemented significant improvements. These include enhancements in cabling for the laser altimeter—an instrument vital for assessing altitude and velocity and selecting a suitable landing site. Additionally, the company has fine-tuned positional accuracy as it navigates towards the moon by improving collaboration with NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN).

The Competitive Landscape

Athena's anticipated launch is strategically positioned after another private US lander, **Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost**, which is scheduled to reach the lunar surface on March 2, 2025. The latter was launched in January and embarked on an indirect path to the moon, sharing a ride with Tokyo-based ispace’s Resilience lander. This landscape exemplifies a key transformation in lunar exploration, where several private players provide competition and innovation.

A rendering of various lunar missions expected to launch in 2025.

Additionally, NASA will also be deploying its Lunar Trailblazer probe aboard the same launch vehicle, which is set to enter lunar orbit after a four-month journey and will embark on a two-year mission to study the existence and distribution of water on the moon.

The Future of Lunar Missions

As these missions unfold, they mark significant strides towards making lunar landings a routine occurrence. Intuitive Machines and its peers seek to showcase that private industry can effectively partner with government entities, creating new avenues for innovation and expansion in space exploration.

Conclusion

Intuitive Machines’ upcoming mission with Athena represents more than just a second attempt at a lunar landing; it symbolizes the dawn of a new era in lunar exploration characterized by private sector involvement and collaboration with national agencies. The implications of successful missions could not only enhance scientific discovery but also lay foundational steps toward future crewed missions to Mars.

References

• Private US company set for second moon landing attempt - Phys.org
• Private US spacecraft headed to the moon captures a glorious view of Earth - Phys.org
• NASA’s space exploration efforts - Phys.org

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