The Athena spacecraft’s recent lunar landing attempt was not entirely successful due to a failed altimeter, causing it to skid across the surface and end up in a shadowed crater. Despite experiencing limited power reserves and cold temperatures, the team at Intuitive Machines remained hopeful. Steve Altemus compared the landing to “sliding into second base.” This setback follows the company’s previous success with the Odysseus vehicle. The incident highlights the challenges of developing a lunar economy and the unpredictability of space exploration.
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/03/athena-landed-in-a-dark-crater-where-the-temperature-was-minus-280-f/