Intuitive Machines’ ‘Athena’ Could Make Moonfall This Week

Private lunar lander, carrying a suite of NASA science equipment, may arrive at the moon’s south pole as soon as Thursday.

Tuesday, March 04, 2025 at 04:28 PM ET

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If all goes to plan, Intuitive Machines’ ‘Athena’ could be the third private lunar lander to successfully make moonfall, following its predecessor Odysseus and competitor Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost. [Courtesy: Intuitive Machines]

Key Takeaways:

Intuitive Machines, developer of the first private lunar lander *Odysseus*, is preparing for its second lunar landing attempt with the "Athena" vehicle at the moon's south pole this Thursday.
The "Athena" mission aims to conduct various experiments, including deploying a "Grace" Micro Nova hopper to explore permanently shadowed craters for potential water ice.
This upcoming landing follows Firefly Aerospace's recent successful landing of its *Blue Ghost* on Sunday, part of a historic period that saw three private landers (Athena, Blue Ghost, and Ispace's Resilience) en route to the moon simultaneously last week.

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According to NASA, the company behind history’s only successful private lunar lander—Odysseus—could land a second vehicle on the moon as soon as this week.

The space agency anticipates the arrival of Intuitive Machines’ “Athena”—one of the firm’s Nova-C class landers, like Odysseus—at the lunar south pole as soon as Thursday at 12:32 p.m. EST. Coverage of the landing will start at 11:30 a.m. and be followed by a press conference with NASA and company leaders.

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.