The Athena spacecraft, part of the IM-2 mission, has landed on the Moon, albeit not in its intended position. This marks the second time an Intuitive Machines spacecraft has landed irregularly. The spacecraft touched down shortly after 1730 GMT (1230 EST) approximately 100 miles (160 km) from the South Pole, in a region known as Mons Mouton. Although Athena is communicating with Earth, it is not in the "correct attitude," which may impact its mission objectives.
The IM-2 mission, in collaboration with NASA, seeks to uncover evidence of water and ice on the lunar surface. This endeavor is a significant step toward NASA's long-term goal of returning humans to the Moon. The mission is equipped with three scientific instruments, including a drill called Trident, designed to penetrate the Moon’s surface to search for ice. The presence of ice is crucial, as it could offer insights into why ice exists in the inner solar system, closer to the Sun's warming rays.
"A lot of planning of future exploration is being predicated on the presence of water ice, but if you want to use it, you need to know where it is and how much there is." – Prof Barber
Athena also carries a hopping robot meant to explore the nearby crater, which lies in permanent shadow from the Sun's rays. This shadowed environment maintains low temperatures and is considered an ideal location to search for ice. The hopper is engineered to leap 100 meters in height and travel up to 1.2 miles (2 km), a capability that allows it to reach areas inaccessible to traditional wheeled robots.
"These hoppers are really suited to the lunar environment because there's no atmosphere there, practically speaking, so doing a series of controlled leaps is a great way to move around." – Prof Simeon Barber
Despite its irregular landing, Intuitive Machines hopes that Athena can still deploy its scientific instruments. These include a hopping robot and the first lunar mobile communications antenna. The lunar reconnaissance orbiter camera will soon capture images of Athena to ascertain its exact position on the Moon.
The mission’s focus on ice exploration aligns with broader scientific interests. By studying these permanently shadowed regions, scientists hope to understand the ancient water reserves potentially delivered to the Earth-Moon system after their formation.
"The permanently shadowed regions on the Moon are kind of a store and archive of ancient water that might have been delivered to the Earth-Moon system after their formation." – Prof Mark Fox-Powell
Athena's mission duration is planned for 10 days, during which it will conduct various observations and measurements using its onboard scientific instruments. This timeframe is crucial for maximizing the mission's potential outcomes and ensuring all planned experiments are executed.
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