Intuitive Machines designed and will operate the Athena lunar lander on the company's second voyage to the moon's south pole to hunt for water.

A robotic moon lander is about to launch on a SpaceX rocket. It's the second lunar mission for a private company that last year became the first to successfully land on the moon’s surface.

Photos of the next spacecraft to launch to the moon have revealed a detail on the lander's footpads that Intuitive Machines hopes will never be seen again.