Firefly Aerospace achieves first successful private moon landing

Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its lunar lander, Blue Ghost, on the moon, marking the first fully successful private moon landing. This achievement follows Intuitive Machines' partial success last year, where its lander tipped over after landing. The U.S. is now part of a growing list of countries that have successfully landed on the moon, including the Soviet Union, China, India, and Japan. China aims to send astronauts to the moon by 2030, while the U.S. plans to return crews by 2026. Recent attempts by Russia and private companies have faced challenges, with Russia's Luna 25 crashing in 2023 and other private landers failing. The success of Firefly Aerospace adds momentum to NASA's efforts to support commercial lunar missions.