Last year, Intuitive Machines made history by landing a robot on the moon. Now, the Houston-based company is gearing up for another attempt, aiming to keep the spacecraft upright this time. Their first mission, with a spacecraft named Odysseus, touched down on the moon in February and was able to communicate with Earth despite landing on its side. This marked the first commercially operated lander to reach the moon’s surface and the first American vehicle to land softly on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Their next mission involves a new lander named Athena.
The second lunar lander from Intuitive Machines, Athena, is poised for launch. It will be one of four spacecraft launching atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch is scheduled for 7:16 p.m. Eastern time on February 26. Weather forecasts are favorable, with over a 95% chance of suitable conditions. In the event of weather or technical issues, backup opportunities are available during a four-day launch window. Should the mission face further delays, it would need to be postponed by a month. NASA will provide live coverage of the launch approximately 45 minutes before liftoff.
If the launch proceeds as planned on Wednesday, the Intuitive Machines spacecraft will attempt to land on March 6 in the Mons Mouton region, located about 100 miles from the moon’s south pole. This location will be closer to the moon’s south pole than any previous lunar lander, marking a significant milestone in lunar exploration.
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