Mission teams suspect Athena landed incorrectly|@Int_Machines|X
Houston-based private space company Intuitive Machines landed its Athena spacecraft near the Moon’s south pole at 12:31 p.m. ET. However, its exact condition remains uncertain.
It became the second private US spacecraft to land on the lunar surface following Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost touchdown on Sunday.
Mission teams suspect Athena may have landed incorrectly, potentially hindering its mission.
The spacecraft carries a drill, hopper, and rover to search for water on the moon and conduct scientific research.
Last year, Intuitive Machines became the first private company to achieve a soft landing on the lunar surface with its Odysseus lander, which tipped on its side.
These missions are part of NASA’s broader efforts to return humans to the moon.
