Intuitive Machines’ Athena Lander Is on the Moon, but Its Fate Is Unclear

Athena didn’t crash. But what did happen to it?Hours after the 15-foot-tall robotic spacecraft arrived at the moon’s surface, closer to the lunar south pole than any spacecraft has been, it remained unclear whether its touchdown was smooth enough to perform its intended work, or if it toppled over in the process, potentially limiting the mission’s scientific achievements.“We’re trying to evaluate exactly what…