A new chapter in lunar exploration has begun with the successful landing of Blue Ghost, a spacecraft developed by Firefly Aerospace, which has now become only the second private lander in history to safely touch down on the Moon. Carrying 10 NASA-backed scientific experiments, it landed in Mare Crisium, a volcanic basin on the near side of the Moon, in the early hours of March 2.
NASA officials celebrated the milestone, with Nicky Fox, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, enthusiastically declaring: “We’ve landed on the Moon! I can’t hide my excitement.”
A Flawless Landing Sequence
The descent began at 2:30 a.m. EST (0730 GMT) when Blue Ghost executed a crucial deorbit burn, adjusting its trajectory from 62 miles (100 km) above the surface to set its course for touchdown.
Over the next 50 minutes, the lander gradually slowed down before firing its thrusters to precisely align with a safe, flat landing area. In the final phase, Blue Ghost autonomously selected a boulder-free landing site, safely touching down at 3:34 a.m. EST (0834 GMT).
Firefly Aerospace CEO Jason Kim summed up the moment perfectly: “Everything went according to plan—even the landing. We’ve got Moon dust on our boots!”
Private Lunar Landings Are Becoming a Reality
Just over a year ago, Odysseus, a lander built by Intuitive Machines, became the first private mission to successfully reach the Moon. Now, Blue Ghost joins the ranks, proving that commercial spaceflight is no longer just an ambition—it’s a reality.
Firefly Aerospace applied lessons learned from past missions, including Israel’s Beresheet lander, which crashed in 2019, to refine its design and improve landing precision.
What’s Next for Blue Ghost?
Powered by solar energy, the lander will conduct scientific experiments for 14 Earth days, including:
- Measuring radiation levels to support future crewed missions.
- Testing new methods for collecting and storing lunar soil and rock samples.
- Studying how Moon dust interacts with sunlight, a phenomenon first documented during Apollo 17.
One of the mission’s most anticipated events will take place on March 14, when Blue Ghost is set to capture a total solar eclipse as seen from the Moon. Just days later, on March 16, it will record the lunar sunset.
What Do We Know About the Lander’s Condition?
While the landing was a success, one small detail caught the attention of viewers—only three of the lander’s four legs confirmed full contact with the surface.
During the livestream, indicators showing the four landing legs were supposed to turn blue upon touchdown. However, only three changed color, raising questions about whether the fourth leg is fully on the ground.
At this stage, it’s unclear if this was due to a telemetry issue or if the lander is resting on uneven terrain. NASA and Firefly Aerospace are now reviewing the data to determine if this could affect the lander’s stability or science operations.
Blue Ghost Is “Upright and Stable”
Despite the minor uncertainty, Firefly Aerospace has confirmed that Blue Ghost is upright and stable.
“The Blue Ghost lunar lander softly touched down on the Moon’s surface in an upright, stable configuration on the company’s first attempt,” Firefly stated.
“As part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1, named Ghost Riders in the Sky, sets the stage for the future of cislunar exploration, becoming the first commercial company in history to achieve a fully successful Moon landing,” the statement continued.
Blue Ghost Landed Within Its 100-Meter Target
According to Ray Allensworth from Firefly Aerospace, Blue Ghost landed on the lunar surface within its designated 100-meter (330-foot) target zone.
During its final descent, the lander executed two hazard-avoidance maneuvers to steer clear of obstacles.
“Among the hazards Blue Ghost avoided were rocks and boulders,” Allensworth confirmed.
With upcoming landings planned by Resilience (ispace) and Athena (Intuitive Machines), it’s becoming clear that private companies are taking the lead in lunar exploration.
Will they be the ones to build future Moon bases? Time will tell, but the future of lunar exploration has never looked more exciting.
