A United States-based company achieved a significant milestone by successfully landing its spacecraft on the Moon on Sunday, following an extensive journey through space. This accomplishment marks only the second instance of a private mission reaching the lunar surface, and notably, it is the first to do so in an upright position. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 made its landing shortly after 3:34 am US Eastern Time (0834 GMT) in proximity to Mons Latreille, a volcanic structure located in Mare Crisium on the Moon’s northeastern side. An engineer at the mission control center in Austin, Texas, jubilantly announced, “Y’all stuck the landing, we’re on the Moon,” prompting an enthusiastic celebration among the team. In February 2024, Intuitive Machines had previously set a precedent as the first private entity to achieve a soft lunar landing, which also marked the first US landing since the crewed Apollo 17 mission in 1972.Despite this achievement, the mission faced a setback as the lander descended too rapidly and toppled upon impact, which hindered its ability to generate sufficient solar power and curtailed the mission’s duration. In response, the company has implemented significant enhancements to the design of its hexagonal-shaped lander, which now features a taller and slimmer profile, comparable in height to that of an adult giraffe.
The Athena spacecraft was launched on Wednesday via a SpaceX rocket, taking a more direct trajectory toward Mons Mouton, the southernmost lunar landing site ever attempted. Its payload includes three rovers, a drill intended for ice exploration, and a pioneering hopping drone designed to navigate the Moon’s challenging terrain. The unique challenges of landing on the Moon arise from the lack of an atmosphere, rendering parachutes ineffective; thus, spacecraft must depend on meticulously controlled thruster burns to decelerate during descent. Prior to Intuitive Machines’ successful mission, only five national space agencies—namely the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India, and Japan—had accomplished lunar landings. Currently, the United States is striving to normalize private lunar missions through NASA’s $2.6 billion Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.The missions arrive at a critical juncture for NASA, as there is growing speculation regarding a potential reduction or even cancellation of its Artemis lunar program, in order to prioritize Mars exploration. This shift aligns with the key objectives of both President Donald Trump and his close advisor, SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
