Photo: Intuitive Machines.
Despite high hopes, Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission has concluded after it was confirmed that the lander is on its side on the Moon and cannot properly charge its batteries. The company confirmed that in an update this morning.
“Images downlinked from Athena on the lunar surface confirmed that Athena was on her side. After landing, mission controllers were able to accelerate several program and payload milestones, including NASA’s PRIME-1 suite, before the lander’s batteries depleted.
“With the direction of the sun, the orientation of the solar panels, and extreme cold temperatures in the crater, Intuitive Machines does not expect Athena to recharge. The mission has concluded and teams are continuing to assess the data collected throughout the mission.
“This southern pole region is lit by harsh sun angles and limited direct communication with the Earth. This area has been avoided due to its rugged terrain and Intuitive Machines believes the insights and achievements from IM-2 will open this region for further space exploration.”
Intuitive Machines IM-2 Mission Updates, Retrieved March 7, 2025
At this time, it is unclear which, if any, of the instruments other than the PRIME-1 suite the lander carried were able to provide data before the mission’s conclusion. Prime-1, or the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) was one of the primary activities planned the the IM-2 mission.
Other Experiments Aboard IM-2
Micro-Nova Hopper “Grace”: A drone equipped with a neutron spectrometer, Grace is designed to explore permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) within the nearby Marston crater. Its mission is to provide the first surface measurements of hydrogen in these PSRs, an essential indicator of water presence on the moon.
Lunar Outpost’s MAPP Rover: This commercial rover will autonomously map the lunar surface, capture stereo images, and collect thermal data. It is equipped to inspect samples of lunar regolith, contributing to the assessment of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) potential.
Nokia’s Lunar Cellular Network: In collaboration with Nokia, the mission will deploy the first cellular network on the Moon, utilizing LTE technology to facilitate efficient data transmission between lunar assets and Earth.
Given that they were not mentioned in the Intuitive Machines update, it is reasonable to assume that those experiments could not be deployed.
Second Attempt by Intuitive To Land On The Moon
This is the second attempt Intuitive has made to land on the moon with their Nova-C lander, with both attempts resulting in successful soft touchdowns but with the lander on its side and unable to complete its experiments fully.
Photo: NASA Livestream
Intuitive’s Chief Growth Officer Dr. Tim Crain recounted the challenges and improvements made between the first and second lunar missions by Intuitive Machines yesterday in a post-landing new conference. He stated that he first mission, launched on Valentine’s Day last year, presented numerous technical challenges, requiring constant problem-solving. “Every day that we went in on [the IM-1 mission], it seemed like that vehicle was just trying to escape our grasp and we had to put out brush fires and understand how the systems we’d built were really working in space. And so every day was a challenge on that mission.”
Despite this, the spacecraft successfully landed and operated on the Moon for several days.
Following the mission, Crain said the team identified 65 areas for improvement, including 10 critical fixes, all of which were addressed in the next mission. They conducted a post-mission review (a “hot wash”) and implemented enhancements such as better orbit determination, improved ground site measurements, refined engine control, and advancements in thermodynamic venting and helium management.
With these upgrades, the second mission, featuring the second Nova-C spacecraft dubbed “Athena” demonstrated a significant improvement in operational efficiency. Unlike the previous mission, where the team had to work intensely to maintain control, this mission proceeded smoothly, requiring only routine operations. The spacecraft successfully reached lunar orbit, and its crater recognition system, which used machine learning, exceeded expectations.
“[We asked outselves] what do we need to change for the next mission?” Crain said yesterday. “And we had 65 items. 10 were critical, the others were, well, if we can get these in for IM- 2, we will. But if not, they can wait on IM- 3 and it’s probably enough. We got all 65 of those in on this mission.”
Dr. Crain further highlighted improvements, saying that while there were some last-minute sensor anomalies during landing, the overall performance on IM-2 was a dramatic leap forward over IM-1. The mission’s propulsion and communication systems also performed exceptionally well, surpassing those of the first mission. The precise orbit determination eliminated the need for an emergency lunar correction maneuver, further demonstrating the progress made.
He concluded by stating that he was proud of the work that the Intuitive Machines team completed between IM-1 and IM-2 and that the company remains optimistic about the future, with aspirations to continue delivering cargo to the Moon.
Part of NASA CLPS Program
Both of the Intuitive Machines missions were part of the NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which is aimed at accelerating lunar exploration by partnering with private companies to deliver science and technology payloads to the Moon.
Through CLPS, NASA has awarded contracts to multiple U.S. commercial space firms to develop and operate robotic landers designed to study lunar geology, search for water ice, and test new technologies that could support future crewed missions under the Artemis program. This approach leverages the agility and cost-effectiveness of the commercial sector while advancing NASA’s long-term goals of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
CLPS is inherently a high-risk endeavor, as NASA is relying on unproven commercial landers to execute complex lunar landings—an area historically dominated by government space agencies with decades of experience. Many of the selected providers are developing their landers for the first time, making each mission an experimental test with no guarantee of success.
While NASA accepts this risk as part of its strategy to foster innovation, the program’s success is far from certain, and early missions may encounter setbacks before commercial lunar deliveries become routine.
Aftermath
Now that the mission has concluded, Intuitive Machines and NASA will assess what happened during IM-2, and IM will devise and test improvements and will apply them to IM-3.
The date for that mission is unknown at this time.
