NASA is preparing for a lunar landing on March 6, targeting the moon’s south pole as part of a growing number of missions, including from India, focused on mapping the moon’s surface, exploring water, and conducting scientific experiments.
The Athena lander, created by the private company Intuitive Machines in Houston, will attempt to land near the Mons Mouton site on the south pole of the moon. This site differs from India’s Chandrayaan-3 ‘Shiv Shakti’ touchdown site, where India made history in August 2023 as the first nation to land on the moon’s south pole.
Athena entered lunar orbit earlier this week after launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on February 26. Intuitive Machines has scheduled the landing attempt for 11:32 a.m. EST, which corresponds to around 10 p.m. IST on March 6.
While orbiting, Athena has transmitted stunning images of the lunar surface. “Athena is in great condition in Low Lunar Orbit (LLO), having completed 24 of her 39 orbits and awaiting the sunrise at the Mons Mouton landing site,” Intuitive Machines reported on March 5.
The Mons Mouton site, located near the south pole, is a key area for NASA to explore water ice and other local resources that could help sustain longer-term crewed lunar missions. Athena’s IM-2 mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which partners with private companies to deliver scientific and technological payloads to the lunar surface.
