Firefly Aerospace’s private lunar lander, Blue Ghost, made history on Sunday by landing successfully on the moon. The incident was a breakthrough in the nascent space industry, with Firefly becoming the first private company to land a spacecraft on the moon’s surface uneventfully. The mission was part of NASA’s commercial lunar delivery missions, and Blue Ghost delivered 10 experiments for scientific studies.
The lander, named after a rare U.S. firefly, was flown from Florida in January. It was charged with sending critical devices from NASA, including a vacuum to collect moon dirt, a drill to measure the temperature of the lunar surface and an abrasive-fighting tool to combat abrasive moon dust. The $101 million NASA contract will help power a lunar economy as private industry more and more turns to establish a presence on the moon ahead of future astronaut flights.
Blue Ghost set down in Mare Crisium, a geologically very ancient volcanic region at the moon’s northeastern rim. The landing was confirmed about 225,000 miles from home following a hitch-free descent on autopilot. The spacecraft’s four stable legs and short, broad body provided the stability necessary for a safe landing, even on the harsh lunar terrain.
This historic touchdown is the newest in the competitive space on the moon, with other private companies racing to touch down on the moon. Two other companies, Intuitive Machines and Ispace, are also preparing to launch their landers, with Intuitive Machines due to touch down this week. NASA’s venture has encouraged the growth of private space companies, and new doors have opened for moon exploration, research, and business opportunities.
Following the touchdown, Blue Ghost sent back its initial surface photos, one of which was even a selfie, although a bit blinded by sunlight. The lander experiments will operate for almost two weeks before lunar night closes down the operations. NASA officials have stated the mission as a significant milestone in the progress of lunar science, paving the way for future missions to explore the Moon.
