AssetID: 54577256
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Over The Moon! First Commercial Lunar Lander Successfully Touches Down
Caption: The first ever lunar landing made by a commercial company has been achieved by Firefly Aerospace. Their Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully touched down on the Moon in an upright, stable position on its first attempt on 2 March 2025. ”Firefly is literally and figuratively over the Moon," said Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace. Carrying 10 precious NASA instruments, the lander's shock-absorbing legs stabilised it upon touchdown, and inertial readings confirmed it is upright in a secure position. Following the landing, Firefly successfully established communication with the lander from its Mission Operations Centre in Cedar Park, Texas. Blue Ghost will now commence its surface operations, supporting several NASA science and technology demonstrations over 14 days – equivalent to a full lunar day. These activities include lunar subsurface drilling, sample collection, X-ray imaging, and dust mitigation experiments. On 14 March, Firefly even expects to capture high-definition imagery of a total eclipse, when the Earth will block the Sun above the Moon's horizon.
Keywords: Science & Technology,Moon,first,commercial,lunar,lander,company,Firefly Aerospace,Blue Ghost,Jason Kim,NASA,instruments,touchdown,Mission,Operations,Cedar Park,Texas,subsurface,dust,total,eclipse,Sun,horizon
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