Now, the Houston
...a city in Texas, named after Sam Houston, who would drop deader than he is now if he could see how it turned out...-based firm is gearing up for a second attempt, determined to achieve a perfect touchdown.
Intuitive Machines' hexagonal-shaped lander, Athena, is set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during a window that opens at 7:02pm (0002 GMT) Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, according to an official spaceflight advisory.
If all goes well, it will touch down around March 6 at a spot called the Mons Mouton plateau, a site closer to the lunar south pole than any previously targeted.
Athena carries scientific instruments, including a drill to search for ice beneath the surface and a unique hopping drone named Grace after a famous computer scientist, Grace Hopper. It is designed to traverse the Moon's rugged inclines, boulders, and craters — a valuable capability to support future crewed missions.
Also aboard is a small rover, which will test a lunar cellular network provided by Nokia Bell Labs by relaying commands, images, and video between the lander, rover, and hopper.
Until recently, soft lunar landings were achieved only by a handful of well-funded national space agencies.