Intuitive Machines Lander Touches Down on Moon, but Lands Wonky

Commercial moon missions with NASA connections are all the rage right now. Firefly Aerospace stuck the lunar landing of its Blue Ghost mission on March 2. Intuitive Machines hoped for a similar success with its IM-2 mission Thursday morning. The Athena lander made it to the moon's surface, but not everything went smoothly. By the time the landing livestream concluded, Intuitive Machines had confirmed touchdown, but two big questions remained. Where did Athena land? What position is it in? "We don't think we're in the correct attitude on the surface of the moon," Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said in an afternoon press conference. Attitude refers to the orientation of the lander. It seems likely the vehicle isn't properly upright. Athena made adjustments during the landing to avoid hazards on the surface, which has led to uncertainty about its exact location. "I believe we're in the vicinity of the intended landing site," Altemus said. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will ... Read full article.