Blue Ghost achieved precise targeting, landing within 100 meters of its goal and will operate for about 14 days|@Firefly_Space|X
Firefly Aerospace, a decade-old company, successfully landed its Blue Ghost Mission 1 spacecraft on the moon Sunday, becoming the first private firm to achieve landing without it crashing or tipping over.
According to the Associated Press, the lander achieved precise targeting, landing within 100 meters of its goal and will operate for about 14 days. Unlike Intuitive Machines’ first private lunar landing in February 2024, which toppled over, Blue Ghost remained stable.
Data transmission and NASA partnership
It will send data and video to Earth and conduct 10 scientific experiments for NASA, including studying lunar soil behavior and heat flow.
Launched on January 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, the spacecraft traveled 2.8 million miles, capturing stunning Earth and moon images. It carries 10 instruments, including a lunar soil analyzer and a radiation-tolerant computer.
Why it matters?
Firefly’s success demonstrates its engineering capabilities and strengthens private-sector involvement in lunar exploration.
The mission is part of NASA’s $2.6 billion initiative to support the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon.
NASA and private companies are racing to explore lunar resources like ice, which could support future missions. With another Firefly mission planned for the moon’s far side, the company is already looking ahead—potentially even at Mars.
Intuitive Machine, a competitor to Firefly from Texas, expects its lander to touchdown on the surface of the moon on Thursday, while ispace from Japan also plans to achieve the same feat in June. Both companies will be attempting their second landings.