Sun Mar 02 15:13:56 UTC 2025: ## Firefly Aerospace Makes History: Second Private Lunar Landing Achieved

**Cedar Park, TX – March 2, 2025** – Firefly Aerospace has successfully landed its Blue Ghost lunar lander on the Moon, making it the second private company to achieve a soft landing. The lander touched down in Mare Crisium on the near side of the Moon, marking a significant milestone in private space exploration.

The landing, which was met with jubilant celebrations at Firefly’s headquarters, was confirmed after moments of intense anticipation. Shortly after touchdown, Blue Ghost transmitted its first image from the lunar surface, a feat hailed by Firefly as embodying years of hard work.

Blue Ghost, carrying ten scientific and technological experiments as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, will conduct research over a lunar day (14 Earth days). Its mission includes studying lunar surface conditions, space weather interactions, and the behavior of lunar dust. Further planned observations include high-definition imaging of a total lunar eclipse on March 14th and recording the lunar sunset on March 16th, to investigate the phenomenon of lunar dust levitation observed by Apollo 17.

Firefly Vice President of Engineering Brigette Oaks praised the lander’s navigation system, which successfully identified a relatively flat landing area. The lander, standing 2 meters tall and 3.5 meters wide, utilizes shock-absorbing feet and vision-based navigation for safe landings.

Initially contracted for $93 million, the mission’s final cost reached $101 million due to pandemic-related supply chain issues and mission profile changes. One key upgrade allowed Blue Ghost to withstand the extreme cold of lunar night (-130°C), aiming for a mission duration exceeding the typical 14 days.

This achievement follows Intuitive Machines’ successful landing last year, expanding the list of entities to have achieved soft lunar landings to only six: India, the Soviet Union, the United States, China, Japan, and now, Firefly Aerospace. Firefly Aerospace will hold a joint press conference with NASA at 4:30 AM to discuss future plans.

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