Wed Mar 05 04:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Firefly’s Blue Ghost Lander Begins Lunar Operations After Successful Landing
**Houston, TX – March 4, 2025** – Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander has successfully begun its scientific mission on the moon after achieving a flawless landing near Mons Latreille on Sunday, March 2nd. The lander, launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 15th, captured a stunning sunrise image on its first lunar day, showcasing the dramatic contrast of bright sunlight against shadowed craters.
The image, shared on X (formerly Twitter), marks the commencement of surface operations. Ten NASA payloads onboard Blue Ghost, focusing on lunar composition, geology, heat flow, and space weather, are currently operational. These instruments will continue collecting data for the next two weeks, extending into the lunar night before the solar-powered mission concludes. Additionally, Blue Ghost will test drilling technology and capture images of lunar dust levitation at sunset.
Firefly Aerospace CEO Jason Kim expressed immense pride in the team’s achievement, highlighting the reliability and affordability of their lunar access capabilities. The company aims to conduct annual lunar missions, contributing to a lasting human presence on the moon and fostering future exploration of the solar system.
Blue Ghost’s landing is a significant milestone for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which partners with private companies to deliver scientific instruments to the moon. This successful mission comes as other private landers, including Intuitive Machines’ Athena and ispace’s Resilience, prepare for their own lunar landing attempts.
First Piper 