Mission Summary
Blue Ghost Mission 1 was the first lunar mission by Firefly Aerospace and the first commercial spacecraft to achieve a fully successful soft landing on the Moon. Launched on January 15, 2025, the mission carried ten NASA science and technology payloads to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which supports the broader Artemis campaign. The lander touched down on March 2, 2025, near Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium on the Moon’s near side.
During more than one full lunar day on the surface, Blue Ghost successfully operated all ten NASA payloads, conducting experiments that measured heat flow beneath the surface, sampled the lunar regolith, tested navigation technologies, and studied the lunar environment. The lander also captured spectacular images of a total solar eclipse as seen from the Moon and a high-definition lunar sunset before continuing to operate for several hours into the lunar night.
Blue Ghost Mission 1 completed 100 percent of its planned mission objectives and marked a major milestone in commercial lunar exploration. Its success demonstrated that private companies can reliably deliver scientific payloads to the Moon, supporting NASA’s long-term goal of establishing a sustained human and robotic presence through the Artemis program.
Sources and notes can be found on the Sources page.
