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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Athena to the Moon
NASA ^ | 28 Feb, 2025 | Image Credit: Intuitive Machines

Posted on 02/28/2025 10:51:57 AM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: Planet Earth hangs in the background of this space age selfie. The snapshot was captured by the IM-2 Nova-C lander Athena, just after stage separation following its February 26 launch to the Moon. A tall robotic lander, Athena is scheduled to touch down on Thursday, March 6, in Mons Mouton, a plateau near the Moonโ€™s South Pole. The intended landing site is in the central portion of one of the Artemis 3 potential landing regions. Athena carries rovers and experiments as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, including a drill intended to explore beneath the lunar surface in a search for evidence of frozen water. It also carries a propulsive drone dubbed the Micro Nova Hopper. After release to the lunar surface, the autonomous drone is intended to hop into a nearby crater and send science data back to the lander.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 02/28/2025 10:51:57 AM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 02/28/2025 10:52:16 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

๐Ÿช ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŒŒ ๐Ÿ”

3 posted on 02/28/2025 10:53:11 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

To the moon, Athena! Click, zoom!


4 posted on 02/28/2025 10:54:33 AM PST by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: MtnClimber

She’s just a girl!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go6FYVw6tTo


5 posted on 02/28/2025 10:55:39 AM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: MtnClimber

Exciting stuff!


6 posted on 02/28/2025 10:56:52 AM PST by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! ๐Ÿ”ญ)
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To: dfwgator

I would walk over you to see the Who.


7 posted on 02/28/2025 10:58:15 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: rktman

Ping.


8 posted on 02/28/2025 11:06:58 AM PST by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Army Air Corps

Nice.


9 posted on 02/28/2025 11:44:44 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within ? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this๐Ÿ’ฉ? ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿ’‰! ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‘!)
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