IM-2: The Southernmost Step in Human Exploration
Spaceflight is a complex endeavor. It is just the way it is. Aerospace is unforgiving, but it’s where we thrive—pushing boundaries, overcoming challenges, and pulling back the darkness to extend humanity’s reach into the solar system. IM-2 was no exception. For every mission, Intuitive Machines must accept a degree of risk and the possibility of failure. The key to our success is to learn, iterate, and continue moving forward.
The goal was audacious: land at the Moon’s south pole, a region marked by jagged terrain, deep craters, and brutal cold. Past missions have avoided this area—where the Sun cuts low across the horizon, casting long shadows that obscure hazards and limit direct data transmission with Earth. It’s also a region that we believe holds the keys to the future of space exploration. Scientists believe frozen water is trapped beneath the surface, and unlocking these resources could fuel humanity’s next leap to the red planet.
On March 6, 2025, our lunar lander, Athena, touched down inside a shallow crater on the Mons Mouton region of the Moon after traveling over one million kilometers. This was the southernmost lunar landing ever achieved—a historic step into one of the most extreme environments in the solar system. While Athena was not upright after landing, the mission pressed forward. Our teams accelerated payload operations, including NASA’s PRIME-1 drill suite, transmitting critical data before Athena’s batteries depleted. In just 12 hours of surface operations, we gathered extraordinarily valuable data for our customers, including validating Nokia’s 4G/LTE network operation, proving that our technology and expertise can deliver in the face of adversity.
IM-2 was about more than just landing—it was about demonstrating that Intuitive Machines has the world's most capable Lunar Data Network. From the moment Athena launched, every mission step validated our ability to communicate and operate in deep space. We executed precision orbital maneuvers, autonomously guided our spacecraft across 39 lunar orbits, and performed high-bandwidth data transmissions that outpaced IM-1’s capabilities by 5X.
The strength of our Lunar Data Network was tested in real-time, not just for our mission but for others reaching for space. During the mission, two rideshare customers faced critical situations in orbit. Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Data Network stepped in when these payloads needed assistance, providing data transmission support. We did this because space exploration isn’t a singular effort—it takes all of us working together to push the envelope together.
These advancements directly support our execution of NASA’s $4.8 billion Near Space Network Services (NSNS) contract, helping secure Intuitive Machines’ role as a leader in lunar communications and national security space operations. The IM-2 mission confirmed that we are sending data to and from the Moon and building the highway to enable a long-term lunar presence.
IM-2 also broke new ground in the performance of our proprietary propulsion system, which was designed, 3D printed, and tested in-house. Using renewable cryogenic liquid methane and liquid oxygen—materials present elsewhere in our solar system—IM-2 reached lunar orbit in only five days and validated the complete propulsion system through six main engine firings. We believe this system is also capable of supporting future missions to Mars and beyond.
In the mission’s final moments, Athena powered down. But unexpectedly, the lander woke up one last time, sending a transmission that resonated beyond technology—it was personal. Athena’s last data transmission contained the names of every Intuitive Machines team member who made her mission possible.
If someone had told us six years ago that we would attempt something this ambitious with the same outcome, we would have charged forward with the same toughness and competence. The razor-thin margins of lunar success don’t deter us; they define us. IM-2 was another step in proving that Intuitive Machines is not just landing on the Moon—we believe we are leading the way in commercializing space and building the infrastructure for humanity’s next frontier. And we’re just getting started.
Steve Altemus Intuitive Machines CEO