Intuitive Machines sent final commands to its uncrewed Athena spacecraft on Thursday as it closed in on a landing spot near the moon's south pole, the company's second attempt to score a clean touchdown after making a lopsided landing last year.

The Athena lander, built by Texas-based company Intuitive Machines, could be the second commercial spacecraft to land on the moon this week.

NASA's Athena Moon lander will land near the Moon's South Pole today. This mission aims to gain insights into lunar resources like water ice. Athena's data could influence future missions and sustainable Moon exploration.

C lunar lander named Athena captured these views of its future landing spot, Mons Mouton, on the Moon's south pole.

If all goes to plan, Intuitive Machines’ ‘Athena’ could be the third private lunar lander to successfully make moonfall, following its predecessor Odysseus and competitor Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost. [Courtesy: Intuitive Machines]

Intuitive Machines' Athena moon lander will deploy two small rovers, a rocket-powered "hopper," and use a powerful drill to probe the lunar surface.