Intuitive Machines' Athena Lander Set to Launch for Lunar South Pole on March 6

Intuitive Machines is preparing to launch its Athena lunar lander, aiming for a touchdown near the moon's south pole around March 6. The mission, dubbed IM-2, will utilize a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Athena is equipped with a drill, a robotic "hopper," and a rover to search for water ice in the region. The lander will also deploy NASA's Lunar Trailblazer probe and AstroForge's spacecraft. The landing site, Mons Mouton, offers optimal sunlight for a 10-day mission while maintaining communication with Earth. The mission will involve drilling into the lunar surface and exploring the area with smaller robots, including a hopper named Grace and a rover from Lunar Outpost.