Space
Texas Startup Successfully Lands Spacecraft on Moon Surface
- Startup’s Blue Ghost lander touches down upright on Sunday
- Two other companies also have spacecraft headed to the moon
Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its first robotic spacecraft on the moon on Sunday in partnership with NASA, marking the second time a commercial lander has pulled off the feat as more companies attempt to reach the lunar surface ahead of future human landings.
After journeying to the moon since its launch on Jan. 15, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander touched down at 3:34 a.m. New York time. The spacecraft is carrying 10 tools and experiments built by NASA, including a drill that will bury itself into the lunar soil to test the moon’s temperature.
