A personal lunar lander carrying a drill, vacuum and different tools to ship for NASA touched down on the moon on Sunday, the newest of a number of corporations looking for to kickstart enterprise on Earth’s pure satellite tv for pc forward of astronaut missions.
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar orbit on autopilot, focusing on the slopes of an historic volcanic dome in an impression basin on the moon’s northeastern fringe of the close to facet.
The corporate’s Mission Management, positioned exterior Austin, Texas, confirmed a profitable touchdown.
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This picture supplied by Firefly Aerospace on Feb. 26, 2025, reveals Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander orbiting the moon. (Firefly Aerospace by way of AP)
“You all caught the touchdown. We’re on the moon,” Firefly’s Will Coogan, chief engineer for the lander, stated.
An upright and steady touchdown made Firefly the primary personal firm to place a spacecraft on the moon with out crashing or falling over. Some governments engaged on area flight have failed up to now, as solely 5 nations — Russia, the U.S., China, India and Japan — have been profitable.
Personal lunar lander Blue Ghost after touching down on the moon with a particular supply for NASA on Sunday, March 2, 2025. (NASA/Firefly Aerospace by way of AP)
Blue Ghost, which was named after a uncommon U.S. species of firefly, is a four-legged lander standing 6-foot-6 tall and 11 toes large, providing further stability, in response to the corporate.
About half an hour after touchdown, Blue Ghost began to ship again footage from the floor. The primary picture was a selfie considerably obscured by the solar’s glare.
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On this rendering, personal lunar lander Blue Ghost touches down on the moon with a particular supply for NASA on Sunday, March 2, 2025. (NASA/Firefly Aerospace by way of AP)
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Two different corporations’ landers are making missions quickly, with the subsequent one anticipated to affix the Blue Ghost on the moon later this week.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
