BREAKING: Athena Lander Touches Down Near Moon’s South Pole, Success Confirmation Awaited

New Delhi: Intuitive Machines' Athena lander has completed its descent and landed near the Moon’s South Pole, as part of a contract with NASA but its success confirmation is awaited. The mission, under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, aimed to deliver critical science and technology payloads to the lunar surface. 

The targeted landing site was Mons Mouton, a region near the Moon's South Pole, with the lander touching down at 11:02 PM IST. Launched on February 26, 2025, aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Athena entered lunar orbit on March 3 and began preparations for its descent. 

This mission plays a pivotal role in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.

Equipped with advanced technology such as a deep-digging drill and a mass spectrometer, Athena will search for vital subsurface water ice, a critical resource for future manned missions. 

The lander also carries the Grace hopping spacecraft and the MAPP rover, which will help provide valuable insights into the Moon’s terrain and resources.

This success comes just days after Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost made its landing on the Earth-facing side of the Moon, and marks a significant milestone for the growing role of private companies in lunar exploration. 

Notably, India’s Vikram lander also made history earlier by becoming the first to land on the Moon’s southernmost point at Shiva Shakti Point.