A private firm sent off yet another lunar lander, but with its sights this time on the south pole of the moon with a drone that will scout out one of its permanently dark craters. The Athena lander, constructed by Intuitive Machines, took flight on Wednesday aboard a SpaceX rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft is on a quick turnaround, with hopes of landing on March 6.
The mission is part of an increasing international push for exploring the moon, with multiple spacecraft trying moon landings in a short period. Last month, American and Japanese companies sent landers, and Texas company Firefly Aerospace is scheduled to arrive at the moon this weekend.
NASA supports private moon missions
Athena is carrying NASA-sponsored experiments worth tens of millions of dollars as part of the agency's initiative to lay the groundwork for future astronaut missions. NASA's science mission director, Nicky Fox, called the time a thrilling moment for space exploration.
"It’s an amazing time. There’s so much energy,” she told the Associated Press.
Learning from past errors
This is Intuitive Machines' second mission to the moon. The firm broke history last year by performing the first US moon landing in more than 50 years. Nevertheless, a navigation mistake made the lander tilt, restricting its functionality.
For this mission, the company indicates that it has resolved the past problem and made dozens of adjustments to guarantee a successful landing.
“Certainly, we will be better this time than we were last time. But you never know what could happen,” said Trent Martin, senior vice president of space systems at Intuitive Machines.
A successful vertical landing is essential to the mission. If Athena does tip over, its drone and two rovers will be unable to function, and NASA's drill for soil sampling will be inoperable.
Venturing into a shadowed Lunar Crater
The 15-foot (4.7-meter) lander is aiming at a location 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the lunar south pole. Nearby, a crater in perpetual darkness is the final destination for Grace, the drone on the lander.
Dedicated to computer legend Grace Hopper, the 3-foot (1-meter) drone will make a series of test hops on the lunar surface, guided by thrusters, cameras, and lasers.
If all goes well, Grace will be the first spacecraft to venture into a shadowed lunar crater. Scientists think craters like these hold vast deposits of ice, which could provide drinking water, breathable air, and even rocket fuel for future missions.
NASA's investment and extra payloads
NASA has paid USD 62 million to Intuitive Machines to carry its drill and other scientific equipment to the moon. The company also sold extra space on the lander to other entities.
Tagging along on the Falcon rocket were:
- NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer satellite, which will map the distribution of water on the moon over the next several months.
- A private spacecraft set to perform a flyby of an asteroid, a step toward future asteroid mining missions.
The new lunar space race
With various nations and private industry competing to send missions to the lunar surface, successful missions would be a game-changer for space travel.
Just five countries—Russia, the US, China, India, and Japan—have ever landed on the moon. Most previous efforts have been failures, leaving debris scattered on the surface of the moon.
If Intuitive Machines' Athena lander becomes a success, it will represent a significant achievement in commercial exploration of the moon and fortify NASA's intention for sustained human presence on the moon.