IM-2's Imperfect Landing Due to Altimeter Interference

Summary

Intuitive Machines’ second lunar lander, IM-2, landed on its side near the Moon’s South Pole because of altimeter interference and lighting conditions according to the company’s president and CEO. During an earnings call this morning, Steve Altemus expressed confidence that the next mission, IM-3, will land upright and ready to operate. Intuitive Machines or IM is one of several companies building lunar landers to deliver payloads to the Moon for NASA through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Instead of building landers itself, NASA purchases services from companies like IM. The companies are expected to find non-NASA customers to close their business cases. IM’s first CLPS lander, IM-1, tipped over after landing in February 2024 because the laser altimeter didn’t work properly and it was going too fast when it reached the surface, breaking one of the legs. Nevertheless, some of the payloads operated for several days and IM and NASA consider it a success. Hopes were high for IM-2, which launched on February 26, 2025. Eight days later it landed, but on its side like IM-1. This time it operated for only about 12 hours before the batteries died because of how the solar panels faced the Sun. IM and NASA still consider it successful because some instruments turned on, albeit briefly. NASA actually argues that every CLPS mission is a success regardless of the outcome because lessons are learned that advance the overall goal of helping American companies establish a lunar economy. Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 lander, Athena, before launch. Credit: Intuitive Machines IM-2 landed closer to the Moon’s South Pole than any other spacecraft. The South Pole has very rugged terrain and unique lighting conditions, but is of great interest to scientists and NASA because water is thought to exist in permanently shadowed regions there. NASA plans to put astronauts there beginning with Artemis III in mid-2027 expecting that eventually water can be extracted from the ...