Wed Mar 19 07:17:11 UTC 2025: ## Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Makes History: First Private Company to Successfully Complete Lunar Mission
**Cape Canaveral, FL – March 19, 2025** – Firefly Aerospace has made history, becoming the first private company to successfully complete a lunar landing mission. Their lander, Blue Ghost, launched in January as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, touched down on the Moon’s far northeastern edge on March 2nd, and completed its mission over the weekend.
After two weeks of conducting ten successful science experiments for NASA, including capturing high-definition images of a lunar sunset, Blue Ghost powered down as the sun set on the lunar surface, ending its mission as planned. These images, which will be released Tuesday, are expected to help NASA understand a mysterious lunar haze observed in the 1960s.
The mission marks a significant milestone, as previous attempts by other private companies have ended in failure. Only five nations – the US, Russia, China, India, and Japan – had previously achieved successful lunar landings. A Japanese lander from ispace, which shared a SpaceX launch with Blue Ghost, is still en route to the moon, aiming for a June landing. In contrast, Intuitive Machines’ recent mission ended with its lander sideways in a crater.
Firefly CEO Jason Kim announced the mission’s completion on X, stating that while the lander has ceased operation, its journey has left a lasting impact. Firefly is already planning its next lunar mission, aiming for an annual lunar landing. The company’s success opens a new era of private lunar exploration.
First Piper 