Three lunar landers set to launch simultaneously for first time

Three lunar landers are set to travel to the moon simultaneously for the first time. Intuitive Machines' Athena is scheduled to launch on February 26, joining Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost and ispace's Hakuto-R, which launched in January. Athena will take a more direct route to the moon, potentially landing as early as March 6. Blue Ghost aims for a landing around March 2, while Hakuto-R is expected to arrive in early May. NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program supports these missions, with a budget of $2.6 billion through 2028. The program aims to foster a commercial lunar economy, moving NASA away from direct landing efforts.