In a giant leap for private spaceflight, Firefly Aerospace has made history with a flawless soft landing on the Moon—an achievement that cements the role of commercial players in deep-space exploration. At precisely 3:35 am US East Coast time (08:35 GMT) on Sunday, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander touched down in Mare Crisium, a striking lunar basin visible from Earth.

This breathtaking feat propels Firefly into an elite league, making it only the second private company to land on the Moon—but the first to execute a picture-perfect soft landing. The event underscores a new era where space is no longer the sole domain of national agencies like NASA and Roscosmos but an expanding frontier for private enterprises pushing the boundaries of innovation and discovery.

Firefly’s achievement follows an earlier private moon landing attempt by Houston-based Intuitive Machines. Last year, its Odysseus lander managed to reach the lunar surface but suffered a hard, lopsided landing that damaged several onboard instruments. In contrast, Firefly’s Blue Ghost executed a controlled, stable touchdown, ensuring all scientific payloads remained intact and operational.

Part of NASA’s Grand Vision

The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which aims to leverage private industry to support scientific research and future lunar missions. Blue Ghost carried 10 cutting-edge research payloads, including NASA instruments designed to study lunar dust, radiation levels, and surface materials.

Key experiments onboard include:

• Measuring lunar heat flow to understand the Moon’s internal composition
• Laser-ranging retroreflectors to improve navigational accuracy
• Innovative dust mitigation technology to prevent lunar dust from interfering with equipment
• A vacuum-based soil collector and drill capable of measuring temperatures up to 10 feet below the surface

Launch and Future Missions

Blue Ghost was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on January 15. Firefly has already planned two additional Blue Ghost missions in 2026 and 2028, each expected to deliver more scientific payloads and support NASA’s long-term lunar objectives, including potential human exploration.

At the landing event, Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro emphasized that the Moon remains central to US space dominance, reflecting an era where private and government partnerships drive space advancements.

Firefly’s achievement is part of a growing global push for lunar exploration. China’s Chang’e program has been making strides in robotic missions and aims to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. Meanwhile, two more commercial landers are on their way:

• Intuitive Machines’ second lunar lander, a 15-foot device, is expected to land next week.
• Japan’s ispace lander, Resilience, launched alongside Blue Ghost on the same SpaceX rocket but took a longer route. It is set to arrive in three months, following ispace’s failed attempt two years ago.

Firefly’s Ascent in the Space Industry

Founded a decade ago, Firefly Aerospace is rapidly emerging as a key player in commercial spaceflight. The Blue Ghost lander, named after a rare species of firefly, is over six feet tall and 11 feet wide, with four stabilizing legs designed to ensure a smooth landing. Firefly’s smooth landing shows how private companies are shaping the future of Moon exploration.

This success marks a major moment in space history—where private businesses are helping make space travel and discovery possible. With more missions coming up, the race to the Moon is getting more exciting, and private companies are playing a big role.