March 6, 2025

Image captured by Machines’ Nova-C Athena lander during its descent (Image courtesy Intuitive Machines / NASA)

A little while ago, Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Athena lander attempted its Moon landing in the Mons Mouton area. This was an autonomous maneuver that was the key step in the IM-2 mission. In the minutes following the end of the maneuver, signals started arriving at mission control with increasing clarity. This allowed them to start understanding Athena’s situation.