This is a developing story and will be updated as we learn more.
This year’s hot destination is the moon. Two landers built by private companies have just touched down on the moon within a week of each other. One landed softly and safely — a first for any private spacecraft — while the other’s status remains unknown.
“The path to the stars is no longer limited to nations alone,” said Jesus Charles, director of spacecraft operations at Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, after the company’s Blue Ghost lander touched down on March 2. “Blue Ghost’s successful landing proves commercial industry has a critical role in humanity’s journey beyond Earth.”
After a long journey in space — having launched on January 15 — Blue Ghost landed in a volcanic plain on the nearside of the moon called Mare Crisium at 3:34 a.m. EST. It is the first privately built lander to touch down on the moon without crashing or tipping over.
Quick on Blue Ghost’s heels, a robotic lander named Athena, built by Houston-based Intuitive Machines, attempted to land on March 6 after only eight days in space. Athena targeted a flat-topped mountain near the moon’s south pole called Mons Mouton, which is believed to be older than the surrounding terrain.
Currently, the lander’s status is unknown. It appears to have touched down, its solar panels are generating power and engineers are able to communicate with the craft. But its orientation and full status have yet to be determined.
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