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                           Astronomy Picture of the Day   
      
       Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our   
         fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation   
                       written by a professional astronomer.   
      
                                 2025 February 28   
      
                                Athena to the Moon   
                         Image Credit: Intuitive Machines   
      
      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 MoonCÇÖs 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.   
      
                         Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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