SpaceX launched its ‘IM-2 lunar mission’ from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center aiming to get closer to the moon’s south pole with a drone that will hop into a jet-black crater that never sees the sun.
Expected Landing on Moon
This moon lander called ‘Athena’ is taking its fast pace to the moon with an expected landing date on March 6.
Recently, US and Japanese firms shared a rocket and launched landers toward moon. Texas-based Firefly Aerospace also planning to launch there first space mission.
Mission Cost
NASA paid $62 million to Intuitive Machines to get its drill and other experiments to the moon. The firm, in turn, sold space on the lander to others. It also opened up the Falcon rocket to ride-sharing.
NASA Shared the Launch Video
“The Moon is about to get a new visitor – and her name’s Athena! On Feb 26 at 7:16pm EST, Intuitive Machines’ Athena lander lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from LC-39A. With @NASA payloads onboard, this flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative and #Artemis campaign. The Athena lander is scheduled to land near the lunar south pole region of the Moon on March 6.” NASA posted.
What Equipment Are They Carrying?
The two US landers carries tens of millions of dollars’ worth of experiments for NASA as it prepares to return astronauts to the moon. “It’s an amazing time. There’s so much energy,” NASA’s science mission chief Nicky Fox told Press a few hours ahead of the launch.
First Intuitive Lander?
This is not Intuitive Machines’ first lunar outing. In 2024, the Texas business scored the first US touchdown on the moon in over 50 years. A distance measuring equipment failed, and the lander came down too hard, breaking a leg and turning onto its side.
NASA Shares Details
Nasa shared post on its social media handle that reads, “The Moon is about to get a new visitor – and her name’s Athena! On Feb 26 at 7:16pm ET, @Int_Machine’s Athena lander lifted off on a @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from LC-39A. With @NASA payloads onboard, this flight is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative and #Artemis campaign.”
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