NASA's water-hunting mission lands on Moon today: How to watch
What's the story
NASA's private lunar mission, Athena, is scheduled to land on the Moon today.
The Intuitive Machines' lunar lander has successfully entered Low Lunar Orbit (LLO) and is gearing up for a historic touchdown near the Moon's South Pole at 11:32am CST (11:02pm IST).
This is a major milestone in lunar exploration as Athena joins growing list of spacecraft aiming for the Moon's surface.
Landing coverage will start at 10:30am CST (10pm IST) on NASA+ and Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission page.
Mission goals
Mission objectives and capabilities
The main objective of Athena is to scout the lunar surface and look for water ice, an essential resource for future human missions.
The lander has a deep-digging drill and mass spectrometer to study lunar soil for elements such as frozen water.
It also hosts a hopping spacecraft called Grace and MAPP, a tiny rover built by Lunar Outpost.
Mission progress
Successful lunar orbit insertion and upcoming operations
Flight controllers confirmed Athena's lunar orbit insertion, noting that it was accurate enough to skip the optional lunar correction maneuver. This ensures that the lander is on course for its intended landing site.
Over the next few hours, Athena will complete 39 lunar orbits while waiting for sufficient sunlight over Mons Mouton to power surface operations.
Landing details
Landing site and significance
Athena's landing site is some 160km from the Moon's South Pole, close to the Mons Mouton plateau.
This region is different from where India's Vikram lander made a successful touchdown during the Chandrayaan-3 mission in August 2023.
The mission highlights the increasing interest in this region owing to its potential for water ice, which could be transformed into water, breathable air, and rocket fuel for future lunar missions.
Mission impact
Athena's exploration will enhance lunar resource understanding
The success of Athena's mission will further cement the place of private companies in the lunar exploration and open the doors for more ambitious projects under NASA's Artemis program.
With the lunar surface getting busier with missions from around the world, Athena's exploration of the south polar region will offer valuable insights into the Moon's geology and potential resources.
Twitter Post
Take a look at the official post
It’s not déjà vu – there’s another Moon landing this week! This time, @Int_Machines’ lunar lander, Athena, is set to touch down on the Moon no earlier than 12:32pm ET (1732 UTC) March 6. https://t.co/kuakCBZYB4pic.twitter.com/sXLyzQazKC
— NASA (@NASA) March 5, 2025