Intuitive Machines' Attempted Lunar Landing

In an ambitious endeavor, the Texas-based startup Intuitive Machines attempted to land its Athena lunar lander on the Moon for the second time this week. Unfortunately, the results were less than stellar. The lander touched down at 1730 UTC on Thursday in the Mons Mouton region, located just 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the Moon's South Pole. However, internal sensors indicated that Athena may not be standing vertically as intended, leading to concerns about its position and operational capability.

CEO's Optimism Amid Concerns

In a press conference at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, CEO Steve Altemus conveyed optimism about the mission's overall progress but confirmed the concerning orientation of the lander. "We had a seven-day transit to the surface and we think that we've been very successful to this point," Altemus stated. "However, I do have to tell you that we don't believe we're on the correct attitude on the surface, yet again."

Echoes of Previous Landers

This situation echoes the unfortunate fate of Intuitive Machines' previous lander, Odysseus, which famously tipped over after a rapid descent, rendering it inoperable due to a lack of solar power. Many experts have scrutinized the design of Athena, which at 4.5 meters (15 feet) tall and only 1.57 meters (5.1 feet) wide, presents a taller and potentially less stable profile compared to more traditional squat lunar landers. Despite this criticism, Altemus defended the design, stating that the majority of its cargo is distributed at the base, resulting in a lower center of gravity.

Operational Status and Future Prospects

Despite the distressing landing position, the good news is that the vehicle remains powered on, albeit not sufficiently for standard operations. The flight team is actively assessing which systems can be powered down in hopes of extending the lander’s operational life. "Any time humanity puts a lander on the Moon, it’s a good day," said Tim Crain, the CTO of Intuitive Machines. However, he added, "It’s a better day when they land fully operational," referencing the successful lunar landing of Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander just days earlier, which is already sending back valuable data.

Cargo and Scientific Instruments

A major point of interest lies in Athena’s cargo, which includes three lunar rovers and a suite of scientific instruments. One key instrument is NASA's Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1, aimed at drilling into the lunar regolith to search for signs of water – a resource deemed critical for future manned missions. The Moon’s South Pole is believed to harbor water in dark craters that could support human exploration and colonization.

Technological Contributions

Additionally, Athena is equipped with NASA’s Laser Retro-reflector array (LRA), which facilitates precise measurements of positions on the lunar surface, a technology that has been in use since the Apollo missions in the late 1960s. The lander also carries commercial payloads, such as the Micro Nova Hopper (nicknamed Grace) designed for exploration within 25 kilometers (15 miles) of the landing site. This hopper can leverage jet propulsion to hop into craters while communicating via Nokia’s 4G/LTE network designed as a testing ground for future lunar communications infrastructure.

Rovers and Their Missions

Among the rovers aboard are the Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP), which is engineered to map terrain with an advanced suspension system suitable for the rugged lunar environment, and a compact Japanese rover called Yaoki. At a mere 15 cm (6 inches) in width and height, Yaoki represents the smallest rover to attempt to navigate the Moon's surface, with capabilities for on-site photography.

Hope for Data Collection

As Intuitive Machines examines the state of its payloads, there remains hope that data can still be gathered. The Mons Mouton highlands are seen as a prime site for future manned missions, heightening the stakes for this mission’s success. The situation continues to evolve as the team works diligently to understand how to operationalize the remaining equipment, hoping for a silver lining in this rocky lunar adventure.