SpaceX successfully launched two private lunar landers Wednesday morning from Cape Canaveral, in support of NASA’s future Artemis missions. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost and iSpace’s Resilience vehicles were launched into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket to collect data on the lunar environment and test technologies for the return of astronauts to the Moon.
The launch is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, part of the Artemis program which includes the first crewed flight in April 2026. This mission represents an important step forward in the collaboration between the space agency and private companies for the lunar exploration.
Blue Ghost, Firefly Aerospace’s lander, was released into lunar transfer orbit about 65 minutes after liftoff. Its journey to the Moon will last about 45 days, with the aim of landing near a volcanic formation in the Mare Crisium basin. On board are 10 payloads provided by NASA customers that will perform tests on lunar dust, electromagnetic fields and satellite navigation signals.
Resilience, the Japanese lander, will follow a longer route of 4-5 months using gravity. It carries six commercial payloads, including a radiation probe, water electrolysis equipment, and a micro-rover for collecting lunar samples. These samples will be the exclusive property of NASA for the Artemis program.
Both landers they will have approximately two weeks (one lunar day) to conduct their operations before the cold night temperatures make them inoperable. The mission aims to provide crucial data for future human exploration of the Moon.
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy said:
“This mission embodies the bold spirit of NASA’s Artemis campaign – a campaign driven by scientific exploration and discovery“. He added that “Every scientific instrument and technological demonstration brings us closer to realizing our vision.”
In short, the success of these private missions represents a significant step towards NASA’s goal of establishing a sustainable human presence on the Moon and, in the future, on Mars. Collaboration between the public and private sectors is proving key to accelerating innovation and reducing the costs of space exploration.
Source: www.tomshw.it
