The private lunar lander Athena has made headlines after its unfortunate topple on the moon earlier this year. But now, we have the inside scoop on exactly what led to this dramatic fall.

Athena's Final Descent: A Destructive Trio of Issues

On March 6, Athena—engineered by Houston-based Intuitive Machines—landed near the lunar south pole, only to find itself lying on its side shortly after touchdown. The situation was dire: Athena's solar panels couldn't harness enough sunlight in this unfortunate position, resulting in its demise just one day later.

After conducting a thorough investigation, Intuitive Machines has identified three crucial factors that worked in concert to cause Athena's downfall.

1. Faulty Altimeter Readings

First and foremost, the lander's laser altimeter, the device responsible for measuring its distance from the moon's surface, faced significant interference. Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, revealed that in the final descent phase, the system encountered "signal noise and distortion" that made accurate altitude readings impossible.

2. Challenging Lighting Conditions

Secondly, Athena's designated landing site suffered from difficult lighting conditions. Situated just 100 miles from the lunar south pole, the topography and low-angle sunlight created long shadows, complicating the precision of the landing system.

3. Inadequate Crater Recognition

Finally, Athena struggled to properly identify craters on the lunar surface. Its optical navigation relied on images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which didn't accurately account for how craters appear when approaching at lower altitudes and in the unique lighting of the south pole.

The Wider Impact of Athena's Fall

The mission, known as IM-2, was not just a solo endeavor; it was part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program aimed at advancing lunar exploration. Athena was equipped with several crucial payloads, including NASA science instruments, Intuitive Machines' hopping spacecraft "Grace," and the MAPP rover from Lunar Outpost. Unfortunately, Athena's untimely collapse also meant that these payloads were unable to deploy.

Lessons Learned for Future Missions

However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Intuitive Machines is gearing up for its next lunar venture, launching the IM-3 mission in 2026. Altemus assured that the company is using the lessons learned from IM-1 and IM-2 to implement critical changes. This includes introducing multiple altimeters, conducting more rigorous flight testing, and enhancing the onboard terrain database for better navigation.

A Brighter Future on the Moon

The team is also utilizing advanced machine-learning algorithms to process detailed lunar imagery captured during IM-2, paving the way for improved navigation and crater-tracking. "Moving forward, we will succeed," Altemus declared, emphasizing their mission to "land softly, land upright, and land ready to operate." The future of lunar exploration is bright, and the lessons from Athena's fall could very well lead to monumental successes ahead.