Firefly claims to be the first private company to achieve a ‘fully successful’ soft landing on the moon.
Firefly Aerospace, a private space company based in the United States, has successfully landed its Blue Ghost spacecraft on the moon, embarking on a two-week research mission amid the ongoing competition between several private companies.
The touchdown occurred at 3:35am US East Coast time (08:35 GMT) on Sunday in the Mare Crisium region, a lunar basin easily visible from Earth.
Firefly proudly asserts that it is the first private company to achieve a “fully successful” soft landing on the moon, following Houston-based Intuitive Machines’ ill-fated hard landing with its Odyssey lunar lander last year. Although the Odyssey lander survived, many of its onboard instruments were severely damaged.
The Firefly mission falls under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which aims to involve the private sector in supporting the agency’s lunar exploration endeavors. Blue Ghost carried a total of 10 scientific and technological payloads, including NASA instruments designed to study lunar dust, radiation, and surface materials.
Key instruments on board will measure the moon’s internal heat flow, mitigate lunar dust accumulation on equipment, and include a retroreflector for laser-ranging experiments.
The spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 15.
Firefly intends to conduct two additional Blue Ghost missions in 2026 and 2028, which are expected to deliver further scientific payloads and contribute to NASA’s long-term lunar objectives.
Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro stated at Firefly’s landing event on Sunday that the moon remains an important aspect of the US agenda to “dominate” space.
The success of Firefly’s mission highlights the increasing role of private companies in space exploration, as NASA and other space agencies rely more heavily on commercial partners to achieve scientific and technological advancements.
Several other countries are also pursuing their own lunar missions, including China, which boasts its robotic Chang’e program and plans to send Chinese astronauts to the moon’s surface by 2030.
The touchdown occurred at 3:35am US East Coast time (08:35 GMT) on Sunday in the Mare Crisium region, a lunar basin easily visible from Earth.
Firefly proudly asserts that it is the first private company to achieve a “fully successful” soft landing on the moon, following Houston-based Intuitive Machines’ ill-fated hard landing with its Odyssey lunar lander last year. Although the Odyssey lander survived, many of its onboard instruments were severely damaged.
The Firefly mission falls under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which aims to involve the private sector in supporting the agency’s lunar exploration endeavors. Blue Ghost carried a total of 10 scientific and technological payloads, including NASA instruments designed to study lunar dust, radiation, and surface materials.
Key instruments on board will measure the moon’s internal heat flow, mitigate lunar dust accumulation on equipment, and include a retroreflector for laser-ranging experiments.
The spacecraft was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 15.
Firefly intends to conduct two additional Blue Ghost missions in 2026 and 2028, which are expected to deliver further scientific payloads and contribute to NASA’s long-term lunar objectives.
Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro stated at Firefly’s landing event on Sunday that the moon remains an important aspect of the US agenda to “dominate” space.
The success of Firefly’s mission highlights the increasing role of private companies in space exploration, as NASA and other space agencies rely more heavily on commercial partners to achieve scientific and technological advancements.
Several other countries are also pursuing their own lunar missions, including China, which boasts its robotic Chang’e program and plans to send Chinese astronauts to the moon’s surface by 2030.
