On March 17, 2025, Firefly Aerospace announced a significant milestone in space exploration following the successful completion of its Blue Ghost Mission 1. This mission marked the first fully successful commercial Moon landing, with all 10 NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) instruments operational on the lunar surface. The mission achieved 100 percent of its objectives, completing over 14 days of surface operations, including 346 hours of daylight and more than 5 hours into the lunar night.
Firefly Aerospace CEO, Jason Kim, expressed pride in the mission's success, which concluded with the final data received around 6:15 PM CDT on March 16. “After a flawless Moon landing, the Firefly team immediately moved into surface operations to ensure all 10 NASA payloads could capture as much science as possible during the lunar day,” he stated. This mission set a new record for the longest commercial operations conducted on the Moon to date.
Throughout the mission, Blue Ghost transmitted a staggering 119 GB of data back to Earth, which included over 51 GB of science and technology data. This achievement not only met but surpassed Firefly’s mission requirements, showcasing the capabilities of the Blue Ghost lander.
The mission featured several groundbreaking payloads, each contributing to our understanding of the Moon:
LuGRE: Successfully tracked Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, demonstrating the potential for GPS-like navigation on the Moon. NGLR: Reflected laser pulses from Earth, allowing scientists to measure the Moon’s shape and distance accurately. LEXI: Captured X-ray images to study solar wind interactions, enhancing our understanding of space weather effects. LMS: Deployed electrodes to measure electric and magnetic fields, providing insights into the Moon’s composition. RadPC: Demonstrated a computer resistant to space radiation, showcasing technology for future lunar missions. RAC: Investigated lunar regolith adherence to materials, aiding in the development of protective measures for spacecraft. SCALPSS: Captured descent images, contributing to knowledge about engine plume effects during lunar landings. LISTER: Drilled into the Moon’s surface to measure temperature and heat flow, marking a new depth record for robotic probes. Lunar PlanetVac: Successfully collected and sorted lunar regolith, proving a low-cost solution for future sample collection. EDS: Demonstrated effective dust mitigation techniques using electrodynamic forces.During the mission, Firefly's Blue Ghost lander made history by capturing high-definition imagery of a total solar eclipse on March 14. This event marked the first time a commercial entity operated on the Moon while observing a solar eclipse. The mission also included observations of lunar dust behavior during a sunset on March 16, contributing to ongoing research on lunar environmental conditions.
Firefly Aerospace is already preparing for Blue Ghost Mission 2, which will utilize the Blue Ghost lander stacked on an Elytra Dark orbital vehicle for missions in lunar orbit and on the far side of the Moon. A news conference is scheduled for March 18 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to discuss the mission's operations and findings in detail.
Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly Aerospace is a leader in end-to-end responsive space services, focused on delivering rapid and affordable access to space for government and commercial customers. With its innovative small- to medium-lift launch vehicles and lunar landers, Firefly is positioned as a single-source solution for missions extending from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. For more information, visit www.fireflyspace.com.
