94Ha Viewpoint
Athena, a lunar lander developed by the private company Intuitive Machines, was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday (February 26) on a Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation. It is expected to land in a crater near the south pole of the moon a week later, on March 6.
Athena carries a variety of scientific and technological equipment and instruments from NASA, and will test communication systems on the lunar surface and deploy drones that can jump on the lunar surface. NASA said the mission aims to further deepen the understanding of the lunar environment, promote the development of lunar resource utilization technology, and lay the foundation for future manned lunar missions.
Athena is the second lunar lander launched by Intuitive Machines. The first lander landed on the moon in February last year. The company is one of the lunar lander contractors under NASA’s “Lunar Commercial Delivery Services Program.” The program aims to deliver scientific experimental equipment and cargo to the lunar surface, laying the foundation for the “Artemis” lunar landing program.
