IM-2 Athena

IM-2 Athena targeted the Shackleton Crater rim region near the lunar south pole. The lander touched down but tipped onto its side at landing, similar to IM-1. Despite the orientation, the mission operated and returned some data from the southernmost location any spacecraft has landed.

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Agency / Country

Intuitive Machines, LLC (Commercial / NASA CLPS) (United States)

Mission Status

PARTIAL

Launch / Target Year

2025

Spacecraft / Type

Nova-C class lander 'Athena'

Landing Site Zone

Shackleton Crater Rim (Lunar South Pole)

Surface Coordinates

Lat -84.47°, Lon 0.0°

Mission Imagery & Gallery

IM-2 Athena photograph 1: Intuitive Machines / NASA — IM-2 Athena lander sideways on the lunar surface near Shackleton Crater rim, March 6, 2025. Southernmost spacecraft to land on the Moon. (NASA / Intuitive Machines, public domain) — Intuitive Machines / NASA — IM-2 Athena lander sideways on the lunar surface near Shackleton Crater rim, March 6, 2025. Southernmost spacecraft to land on the Moon. (NASA / Intuitive Machines, public domain)

Primary Achievement

Southernmost spacecraft to land on the Moon

Mission Objectives

Land near Shackleton Crater rim at the lunar south pole
Southernmost lunar landing ever attempted
Deliver NASA PRIME-1 drill to search for water ice
Demonstrate commercial south polar delivery capability

Timeline Events

2025-02-26 — Launch from Kennedy Space Center on Falcon 9
2025-03-05 — Entered lunar orbit
2025-03-06 — Athena touches down near Shackleton Crater rim — southernmost lunar landing
2025-03-06 — Lander tips on side — partial mission status
2025-03-16 — Mission operations end before lunar night

Related Missions

IM-1 Odysseus (2024) · Intuitive Machines
Blue Ghost (Firefly Aerospace) (2025) · Firefly Aerospace
Chang'e 7 (2026) · China

Historical & Technical Sources

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