Intuitive Machines’ Athena Lander Takes First Stunning Snapshots of Earth

On February 26 2025, the Athena Moon Lander from Intuitive Machines took off on its moon mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After successfully making its way to space, the moon lander took some impressive photos of Earth that Intuitive Machines have shared in an official release.

A Few Quick Pictures On The Way To The Moon

Following Athena’s liftoff on 26 February 2025, Intuitive Machines confirms that the Moon lander has been able to make a few necessary achievements. These include establishing a stable altitude, solar charging, and radio communications contact with the Houston mission operations centre.

While these are basic achievements for any space vessel, it shows that the Athena Moon Lander is in good health. As proof of life, the moon lander was able to take a few photos of Earth that were shared with the Houston mission operations centre.

These photos were then added to the official statement from Intuitive Machines concerning this mission. From the photos, we can see a view of the Earth from space with the Athena Moon Lander above its surface.

The thick darkness that surrounds the Earth in these photos helps reflect the vastness of our solar system yet to be explored. We expect to see more images from Athena once it gets to the Moon and kicks off its mission.

How To Follow The Progress Of The Athena Moon Lander

By 3 March 2025 Intuitive Machines plans to refire Athena’s engine, hence setting her on course to the Moon. The expected arrival of Athena on the Moon is 6 March 2025, and we expect to get more images of not only Earth but also the Moon by this time.

If you are interested in following this mission, you can check out the Intuitive Machines’ X page or official website. All updates on the Athena Moon Lander mission will be updated regularly on these channels.