Commercial Blue Ghost Lander Sends First Photo to Earth: A Moon Selfie

moon - Blue Ghost lander from Firefly Aerospace sends first photos from the moon to Earth, landing near a volcanic opening on Mare Crisium.

Blue Ghost Lander's Historic Moon Landing

The commercial Blue Ghost lander, developed by Firefly Aerospace in Texas, successfully landed on the moon and sent the first photos back to Earth. The landing took place near an old volcanic opening on Mare Crisium, a large basin on the northeastern side of the moon facing Earth.

Flight leaders at Firefly's headquarters in Austin monitored the descent of the Blue Ghost onto the lunar surface. They confirmed the spacecraft's entry into the moon's gravity via a live stream. 'We are on the moon,' said chief engineer Will Coogan.

Firefly becomes the second private American company to achieve a successful moon landing with a lander. Last year, the US company Intuitive Machines accomplished the first private moon landing.