Private Lunar Lander 'Athena' Successfully Touches Down Near Moon's South Pole
The Intuitive Machines mission aims to search for water ice, deploy a German-designed drone, and test 4G technology in a challenging lunar environment.
- The 'Athena' lander, developed by US-based Intuitive Machines, has landed near the Moon's South Pole, though the condition of the lander is still being assessed.
- A key mission objective is to search for water ice using a NASA-provided drill and mass spectrometer on the lunar surface.
- The mission includes the deployment of 'Grace Hopper,' a German-designed drone capable of hopping across the Moon's surface to explore a permanently shadowed crater.
- Aboard 'Athena' is a device to test the feasibility of establishing a 4G mobile network on the Moon.
- This is the second lunar mission by Intuitive Machines after their 2024 attempt, with the company aiming to conduct experiments during the 10-day lunar day before the onset of the Moon's night.
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