CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private lunar lander carrying a drill, vacuum and other experiments for NASA touched down on the moon Sunday, the latest in a string of companies looking to kickstart business on Earth’s celestial neighbor ahead of astronaut missions. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar orbit on autopilot, aiming […]
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully touched down on the moon, marking the first private spacecraft to land upright and stable without crashing. The lander, carrying 10 experiments for NASA, including a drill, vacuum, and dust-removal device, landed in Mare Crisium near an ancient volcanic dome. Launched in January, the mission cost NASA $101 million for delivery and $44 million for the experiments. The lander is expected to operate for two weeks before shutting down. This achievement follows NASA’s commercial lunar delivery program, which aims to advance lunar exploration and business opportunities ahead of future astronaut missions.
