A new lunar lander is set to launch to the moon’s south pole this week

The Texas-based company Intuitive Machines is launching its second robotic lunar mission, Athena, this week.

The spacecraft will study the moon’s surface, focusing on the chemical makeup of rocks and soil and searching for subsurface water, which is crucial for future lunar bases.

Athena will land in the moon’s south polar region on Mons Mouton, where water ice is thought to be abundant.

The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and will also test a 4G communications system and release a series of rovers and drones for further exploration.

Athena’s launch is scheduled for Wednesday atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. If successful, the landing could occur as early as March 6, NBC News has reported.

This follows the company’s historic 2024 success as the first private company to land on the moon.

read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/moon-lander-launch-south-pole-intuitive-machines-rcna193482

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