On February 26, 2025, SpaceX Falcon 9 launched Athena and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer from Kennedy Space Center. Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, will land near Mons Mouton to investigate lunar...
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched the Athena lunar lander and NASA's Lunar Trailblazer orbiter on February 26, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center. Athena, developed by Intuitive Machines, is designed to investigate lunar water ice deposits using instruments like PRIME-1, which includes the TRIDENT drill and MSolo mass spectrometer. Lunar Trailblazer, developed by NASA, will map water ice deposits from orbit, focusing on the Mons Mouton region where Athena is expected to land. Athena also carries secondary exploration vehicles: MAPP, a rover by Lunar Outpost, and Grace, a hopping robot by Intuitive Machines. The mission aims to advance lunar water ice exploration and support future missions, complementing broader lunar exploration efforts.
