Milestone in Space Exploration: Spacecraft Touches Down on the Moon

WASHINGTON (The Uttam Hindu) - Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully landed in the Mare Crisium region of the Moon. The mission began with a launch on January 15, 2025 via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and ended with a precise landing on Sunday,

Firefly Space is a Texas-based American private sector aerospace firm that designs, manufactures and launches space vehicles. According to a NASA post, the commercial company's Blue Ghost lunar lander safely delivered 10 NASA scientific instruments and technology demos to the moon. According to NASA, during Blue Ghost's mission, the agency's scientific instruments aim to test and demonstrate lunar subsurface drilling technology, regolith sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system capabilities, radiation tolerant computing and lunar dust mitigation methods.

The data captured could also benefit humans on Earth, as it could help explain how space weather and other cosmic forces affect Earth. “This incredible achievement demonstrates how NASA and American companies are leading the way in space exploration for the benefit of all,” said NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro. The mission is part of a NASA-industry partnership aimed at reducing costs and supporting the Artemis program, designed to send astronauts back to the Moon. In February 2024, Intuitive Machines became the first private company to perform a soft landing on the moon. It was also the first US landing since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission. However, this success was overshadowed by an accident. The lander descended too fast and flipped over on impact, leaving it unable to generate enough solar power and cutting the mission short.