Firefly Aerospace, a US private space company, has landed its Blue Ghost spacecraft on the moon for a two-week research mission. The successful touchdown occurred on Sunday at 3:35 am US East Coast time in the Mare Crisium region. This region is a significant lunar basin visible from Earth.
This achievement makes Firefly the second private firm to land on the moon, declaring it the first to have a "fully successful" soft landing. The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, aiming to utilize private industry to support the agency’s moon exploration efforts. Blue Ghost carried 10 scientific and technological payloads, including NASA instruments designed to study lunar dust, radiation, and surface materials.
The spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on January 15. Firefly plans to conduct two more Blue Ghost missions in 2026 and 2028, expected to carry additional scientific payloads to support NASA’s long-term lunar goals.
Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro emphasized the US’s commitment to space exploration during Firefly’s landing event, highlighting the significance of private companies in advancing scientific and technological breakthroughs in space exploration. The success of this mission underscores the increasing role of commercial partners in space exploration as agencies like NASA collaborate with private firms to achieve shared objectives.
Notably, other countries such as China are also making significant strides in lunar exploration, with plans to put Chinese astronauts on the moon’s surface by 2030 through programs like the Chang’e mission.
The successful landing of Firefly’s Blue Ghost spacecraft marks a significant milestone in space exploration, showcasing the collaborative efforts between private companies and governmental agencies to unlock the mysteries of the universe.