Firefly Aerospace, a US-based private space company, has successfully landed its Blue Ghost spacecraft on the moon, marking a significant milestone in the race between private firms. The landing took place at 3:35am US East Coast time (08:35 GMT) on Sunday in the Mare Crisium region, a major lunar basin visible from Earth.
Firefly claims to be the first private company to achieve a “fully successful” soft moon landing, setting itself apart from Houston-based Intuitive Machines, which experienced a hard landing with its Odysseus lander last year, damaging many onboard instruments.
This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, aiming to utilize private companies to support NASA’s lunar goals. Blue Ghost carries 10 scientific and technological payloads, including NASA instruments for studying lunar dust, radiation, and surface materials.
The spacecraft, launched from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 15, also carries key instruments to measure the moon’s internal heat flow, prevent dust buildup on equipment, and conduct laser-ranging experiments with a retroreflector.
Firefly plans two more Blue Ghost missions in 2026 and 2028, which will deliver additional scientific payloads and support NASA’s long-term objectives. Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro highlighted the moon as key to the US goal of “dominating” space. This success further emphasizes the increasing role of private companies in space exploration, with NASA and other space agencies relying on commercial partners for technological breakthroughs. Meanwhile, other nations like China are advancing their lunar exploration efforts, including plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2030.
