Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander has safely landed in the Mare Crisium region of the Moon, following a carefully planned powered descent. The US-based corporation has achieved history as the first commercial company to complete a successful lunar landing.
The lander was launched on January 15, 2025, by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After nearly a month in Earth’s orbit, it spent 16 days in lunar orbit, fine-tuning its course before making its final descent. Blue Ghost landed precisely on Sunday, March 2nd, at 2:34 a.m. CST in a 100-meter target zone near Mons Latreille.
Shortly after landing, the spacecraft sent its first image from the lunar surface, showing its legs firmly on the moon. Firefly confirmed that Blue Ghost was still stable, with shock-absorbing legs ensuring a smooth touchdown. The Mission Operations Centre in Texas continues to monitor the lander.
The lander will perform surface activities such as lunar subsurface drilling, sample collecting, and X-ray imaging for the next 14 days. A total eclipse is predicted to be captured in high definition on March 14th. By March 16, it will have observed the lunar sunset and gathered data on dust levitation.
