Case Study: IM-1 and IM-2, Landing on the Edge
What happened to Intuitive Machines' two landers near the south pole, and what do partial successes mean for the company and its customers?
Chapter summary
IM-1 Odysseus became the first US spacecraft to land softly on the Moon since 1972, on 22 February 2024, near Malapert A in the south polar region, but it came down with sideways speed, caught a leg and tipped over.
Key takeaways
- 1
The cause was traced to its laser rangefinders, which had not been enabled because a safety switch was left in place before launch; the team switched to a NASA experimental lidar during flight.
- 2
IM-2 Athena landed on 6 March 2025 in a crater near the south pole and also ended on its side, after its altimeter readings degraded over dark, rough terrain.
- 3
Both missions returned some data and earned partial milestone payments.
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