Private lunar lander with drill, vacuum and other equipment for deliver for NASA landed on the moon on Sunday, becoming the latest of several companies looking to set up business on Earth's natural satellite ahead of astronaut missions.
Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander left lunar orbit on autopilot, aiming for the slopes of an ancient volcanic dome in an impact basin on the northeastern edge of the moon's near side.
The company's mission control center, located near Austin, Texas, confirmed the successful landing.
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This image provided by Firefly Aerospace on February 26, 2025 shows Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander orbiting the Moon. (Firefly Aerospace via AP)
“You all failed the landing. We're on the moon,” said Firefly's Will Coogan, the lander's chief engineer.
The vertical and stable landing made Firefly the first private company to install spaceship on the moon without breaking or falling. Several governments working on spaceflight have failed in the past, and only five countries—Russia, the United States, China, India and Japan—have succeeded.
The privately owned Blue Ghost lunar lander after landing on the Moon with a special delivery for NASA on Sunday, March 2, 2025. (NASA/Firefly Aerospace, via AP)
The Blue Ghost, named after a rare American species of firefly, is a four-legged lander that stands 6 feet, 6 inches tall and 11 feet wide, providing added stability, according to the company.
About half an hour after landing, Blue Ghost began sending photos from the surface. The first image was a selfie, somewhat obscured by sunlight.
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In this image, the privately owned lunar lander Blue Ghost lands on the Moon with a special delivery for NASA on Sunday, March 2, 2025. (NASA/Firefly Aerospace, via AP)
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Landers from two other companies will soon fly missions, and the next one is expected to join Blue Ghost. on the moon later this week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
