Firefly’s lunar landing is NASA’s second CLPS mission. The first took place last year, when Intuitive Machines—another Texas-based private space company—sent its lander to the Moon in February 2024. However, the company’s lander toppled over after touching down, limiting aspects of the mission.

Blue Ghost conducted the DOI on the far side of the Moon, which caused a communications blackout with Earth. The spacecraft was on the correct flight path when communications with Blue Ghost resumed around 20 minutes after the burn, and the lander coasted for around 30 minutes until it reached an altitude of roughly 20 km over the lunar surface.

The Blue Ghost touchdown kicks off two weeks of around-the-clock research by NASA science and technology payloads.

Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, is set for another test flight. During its last test run in January, the spacecraft exploded over the Caribbean, raining debris over populated islands. Follow for live updates.

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost landed on the moon at 2:34 a.m. It’s expected to operate for two weeks, conducting NASA science and technology experiments.