Moon landing: US's Athena vehicle to touchdown in hope of finding water ice tonight

'Hopping robot' to hunt for hydrogen, which could be crucial resource for future exploration

Intuitive Machines' Athena lander in circular orbit around the Moon on March 3. AFP

US company Intuitive Machines is set to again make history as its Athena lander attempts a landing on the Moon today, at 9.32pm UAE time.

If successful, it will mark the company's second Moon landing after the Odysseus mission in 2024 and the second commercial lunar landing in just a few weeks.

The mission for hydrogen, known as IM-2, is part of Nasa's Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme, which contracts private companies to deliver scientific instruments and technology to the lunar surface.

“Athena continues to be in excellent health in low lunar orbit. She’s completed 24 of her 39 orbits, waiting for the Sun to rise on her Mons Mouton landing site,” the company posted on social media on Wednesday. Nasa and Intuitive Machines will broadcast the landing attempt, with the stream set to begin at 8.30pm on their websites and social media channels.

Landing near the lunar south pole

Athena will attempt to touch down in the Mons Mouton region, a plateau near the Moon’s south pole, for a 10-day mission. The landing site has been chosen because of its scientific significance, particularly the possibility of water ice deposits beneath the surface.

Water ice is considered a crucial resource for future lunar exploration, as it could be converted into oxygen for breathing, hydrogen for fuel and water for drinking.

After Intuitive Machines’ previous mission had navigation issues that led to a slightly off-target landing, the company has made improvements to ensure Athena’s descent is as precise as possible.

If the mission succeeds, it will demonstrate the increasing reliability of commercial lunar landers, with Nasa and other space agencies relying more on private companies for lunar deliveries and future deep-space missions in this modern space era.

Firefly, another American company that is part of Nasa’s CLPS programme, successfully landed its Blue Ghost lunar lander on March 2.

Scientific goals and payloads

Athena is carrying a range of payloads that will test new technology, including Nasa’s Prime-1 experiment, which involves the Trident drill and MSolo mass spectrometer. These tools will attempt to drill into the lunar surface and analyse potential water ice deposits.

One of the most highly anticipated parts of the mission is when the lander will deploy Micro-Nova, a small robotic hopper named Grace, designed to explore difficult-to-reach areas of the Moon.

Shortly after landing, the hopper will detach from Athena and make its way to a permanently shadowed crater about 500 metres from the main landing site. This crater, which has never been exposed to sunlight, is believed to contain water ice.

Micro-Nova will use its propulsion system to hop across the lunar surface, which allows it to navigate rugged terrain that traditional wheeled rovers cannot access. Once inside the crater, it will scan for hydrogen, a key indicator of water ice.

Athena is also carrying technology from other Nasa clients, including a rover by Lunar Outpost. Nokia will also be testing its first lunar cellular network.