A private spacecraft called Blue Ghost has successfully landed on the Moon, marking only the second commercial vehicle to reach the lunar surface. Firefly Aerospace launched Blue Ghost on January 15, with the goal of exploring the Sea of Crises. The mission is part of a collaboration between NASA and private companies, following in the footsteps of Intuitive Machines’ Athena spacecraft, which landed near the Moon’s south pole last year.
The successful landing comes after two weeks of orbiting the Moon, and marks an important milestone for private spaceflight. Dr Simeon Barber, a planetary science researcher, hailed Blue Ghost as the first successful private venture to the Moon, citing its intact and responsive state.
Barber explained that the Moon’s importance lies in its use as a launchpad for exploring the rest of space. The lunar surface can be used to test robotic instruments in harsh environments, such as extreme temperatures, radiation, and dust. This knowledge will aid future missions, including those involving humans.
The Apollo 17 mission was the last time humans visited the Moon, in December 1972. Barber noted that previous missions were expensive and unsustainable due to costs running into billions of dollars. He believes that private companies can help reduce costs through commercial competition, leading to cheaper landers and innovations for extracting resources from the Moon.
This achievement comes after a failed attempt by Astrobotic Technology in January 2024, but marks a significant step forward for private spaceflight.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd9208qv1kzo