Overview

• Intuitive Machines' Athena lander, part of the IM-2 mission, is scheduled to land on the Moon's Mons Mouton plateau on March 6 at 12:32 p.m. EST.
• This marks the company's second lunar landing attempt, following its historic success with Odysseus in 2024, which tipped over post-touchdown but still transmitted data.
• The mission will test NASA-backed technologies, including a drill and mass spectrometer to detect potential resources like water ice in lunar soil, and a drone capable of navigating craters.
• Athena has already entered lunar orbit, capturing images of the Moon's surface while preparing for its descent to the south pole region.
• NASA and Intuitive Machines will provide live coverage of the landing and a post-event press conference to discuss the mission's objectives and outcomes.