Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander has written itself into the history books as the first commercial spacecraft to achieve a successful landing on the Moon, with the lander descending smoothly onto the lunar surface on March 2.
Equipped with NASA’s Stereo Cameras for Lunar-Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS), the robotic lander captured an unprecedented 3,000 frames of its descent which has resulted in "first-of-its-kind imagery".
Documenting the event at an altitude of 91 feet (28 meters), the video shows Blue Ghost gradually descending toward the Moon’s surface. As the spacecraft nears touchdown, its thrusters kick up clouds of regolith—a mix of lunar dust, soil, and rocks.
"As the descent continues, the interaction becomes increasingly complex, with the plumes vigorously kicking up the lunar dust, soil, and rocks—collectively known as regolith," NASA explained.
"After touchdown, the thrusters shut off and the dust settles. The lander levels a bit and the lunar terrain beneath and immediately around it becomes visible."
SEE THE FULL VIDEO ON NASA'S YOUTUBE BY CLICKING HERE.
Despite Blue Ghost’s smooth landing, touching down on the moon remains a challenge. Unlike Earth or Mars, the moon has virtually no atmosphere to help slow spacecraft during descent, meaning thrusters must operate flawlessly to ensure a safe landing. Something that recent lunar landing attempts have highlighted.
While China and India have achieved successful landings, the U.S. commercial spacecraft Odysseus sustained damage during its 2024 landing, and another of the company’s landers tipped over in 2025.
Blue Ghost’s mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, a key initiative aimed at establishing a long-term U.S. presence on the moon. The agency is preparing for crewed missions, with current plans to land astronauts in mid-2027.
These astronauts will spend a week exploring the moon’s south pole, a region believed to be rich in resources crucial for future lunar exploration.
