A private spacecraft has successfully landed on the Moon, marking only the second commercial vehicle to reach the lunar surface.
The lander, Blue Ghost, departed Earth on Jan. 15 aboard a rocket from U.S. aerospace company Firefly Aerospace and has now achieved a smooth landing in the Sea of Crises, a vast lunar crater visible from Earth.
This milestone is part of the latest collaboration between NASA and private space firms, further advancing lunar exploration. Another company, Intuitive Machines, is set to land its Athena spacecraft near the Moon's south pole in the coming days.
Intuitive Machines previously made history as the first private company to achieve a lunar landing when its Odysseus spacecraft touched down on February 22 last year. However, that mission faced difficulties as Odysseus landed on a crater slope, suffered landing gear damage, and toppled over.
In contrast, Blue Ghost's landing was executed smoothly after orbiting the Moon for two weeks. The successful touchdown was met with celebration at Firefly Aerospace's headquarters in Texas, where employees cheered upon confirmation of the achievement.
Dr. Simeon Barber, a planetary science researcher from the Open University, emphasized the significance of this accomplishment. He noted that Blue Ghost represents the first truly successful private lunar venture, as the spacecraft remains intact and fully operational. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Dr. Barber highlighted the importance of this achievement, stating, "[They've] demonstrated a technology for landing on the surface of the Moon, the kind that had been forgotten after the Apollo era when we had astronauts on the [lunar] surface."
According to Dr. Barber, the Moon is of growing interest to private companies as a potential stepping stone for deeper space exploration. He explained that lunar missions help develop technology to operate in harsh space environments characterized by extreme temperatures, dust, and radiation.
The discussion around human lunar exploration has also gained traction. The last human landing on the Moon occurred on December 19, 1972, during the Apollo 17 mission. Dr. Barber noted that while the Apollo missions were groundbreaking, they were costly and unsustainable, with astronauts spending only a few days on the lunar surface before returning to Earth.
Now, private sector involvement is seen as a key factor in reducing costs and fostering innovation. Companies are working on developing cheaper landers and exploring resource extraction methods, such as obtaining water from the Moon for future astronauts.
Firefly Aerospace's success follows a failed attempt by another U.S. company, Astrobotic Technology, in January 2024. Their lander suffered a suspected fuel leak and crashed back to Earth, ultimately disintegrating in the southern Pacific Ocean.
