Intuitive Machines' lunar lander Athena has ceased operations after a failed landing where the craft ended up sideways in a crater near the moon's south pole. The lander, which was launched to conduct various scientific experiments, failed to reach its target, landing 800 feet off course in an extremely cold environment, making recharging its batteries unfeasible. It had initially sent back some data and images but quickly went silent. This constituted Intuitive Machines' second unsuccessful attempt, contrasting with a recent successful landing by Firefly Aerospace in the ongoing competition for private lunar missions.
A private lunar lander named Athena from Intuitive Machines has been declared dead after a botched landing attempt on the moon, marking the end of its mission.
Athena's landing attempted to place the craft accurately but overshot by 800 feet, landing in a frigid crater, where it is unlikely to regain power.
Despite this setback, Intuitive Machines previously managed to successfully land a craft on the moon, which marked a milestone in U.S. lunar exploration.
In contrast, Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its Blue Ghost lander this week, highlighting the competitiveness and advancements in the private lunar exploration sector.
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