Private Intuitive Machines moon lander declared dead after falling on its side in crater at the lunar south pole

Two legs of a moon lander jutting up with the earth half-lit overhead.

It's a haunting photo, but at least it has answers: For the second time in as many years, a private Intuitive Machines lunar lander has tipped over on the moon.

After a day of uncertainty following a harrowing moon landing attempt, the company Intuitive Machines sealed the fate of its latest lunar probe Athena. The spacecraft, which attempted a historic landing in rugged terrain near the south pole of the moon on Thursday (March 6), had toppled on its side inside a frigid crater.