In a historic mission, SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on February 26, 2025, in the evening. The rocket carried two vital payloads: Athena, a private moon lander created by Intuitive Machines, and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer orbiter. This is an important step toward promoting lunar exploration and the exploration of water ice on the Moon, especially the lunar south pole.
The Falcon 9 lifted off shortly after sunset at 7:16 p.m. EST, flying into the darkness with its valuable payload. About eight and a half minutes into the flight, the rocket’s first-stage booster successfully landed on SpaceX’s droneship, “A Shortfall of Gravitas,” for the ninth time for this specific Falcon 9 booster. Soon after, the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket followed its course, releasing Athena into translunar injection orbit, followed by the release of the Lunar Trailblazer four minutes later.
Athena carries 10 NASA science instruments, most of which will search for evidence of water ice on the lunar surface. The objective is specifically to research the south pole of the moon, an area considered to contain frozen water in huge quantities. NASA is especially interested in water ice because it plays a pivotal role in its Artemis program to create sustainable human settlements on the Moon over the next few decades.
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer, the ride-along orbiter, will also assist in the hunt for water ice from its elevated orbit. The combination of Athena and Lunar Trailblazer is a significant leap toward NASA’s aim to understand the Moon’s resources, which is critical for future exploration of the Moon and, ultimately, the mission to Mars.
Nicky Fox, an associate administrator in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, expressed enthusiasm for the mission. I’m looking forward to seeing the science our tech demonstrations produce as we prepare for humanity’s return to the moon and our journey to Mars,” she said at a prelaunch briefing.
The mission, IM-2, is Intuitive Machines’ second lunar mission and part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which seeks to encourage commercial partnerships in lunar exploration. The successful launch is another significant milestone in the continued quest to unravel the moon’s secrets and enable NASA’s ambitious space exploration plans.
