Company Behind First Successful Private Lunar Lander Launches Again

Intuitive Machines says its ‘Athena’ lunar lander could touch down on the moon as soon as March 6.

Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 02:52 PM ET

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Intuitive Machines’ Athena Nova-C class lunar lander snaps a photo of the Earth after separating from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. [Courtesy: Intuitive Machines]

Key Takeaways:

Intuitive Machines has launched its second lunar lander, "Athena" (IM-2 mission), towards the moon's south pole, following its successful first private landing with "Odysseus."
The "Athena" mission, expected to land by early March, carries various NASA science payloads for the CLPS program, including a hopper to explore permanently dark craters, and will gather data crucial for the Artemis campaign.
This launch contributes to an unprecedented period with three commercial lunar landers currently en route to the moon, highlighting the rapid advancement and increasing commercial interest in lunar exploration.

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The company behind the first successful private moon landing on Wednesday sent a second vessel to the moon, with touchdown expected early in March.

At 7:16 p.m. EST, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Houston-based Intuitive Machines’ Athena—one of the firm’s Nova-C class lunar landers, like its predecessor Odyssesus that flew on 2024’s IM-1 mission—from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Intuitive Machines said the lander, carrying a suite of NASA science equipment for the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, could arrive at the moon’s south pole as soon as March 6.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.