Washington, 2/3: Firefly Aerospace became the second US company to land on the moon on Sunday with its debut Blue Ghost lander, kicking off a two-week research mission as one of a handful of private firms to reach the frontlines of a global moon race.
The size of a compact car, the four-legged Blue Ghost carried 10 scientific payloads as it touched down at 3:35am ET (0835 GMT) near an ancient volcanic vent on Mare Crisium, a large basin in the northeast corner of the moon’s Earth-facing side.