Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander Captures Stunning Lunar Sunrise

HOUSTON, Texas — Firefly Aerospace‘s Blue Ghost lunar lander made history this past weekend by capturing a breathtaking photograph of a sunrise on the moon, marking the start of its scientific operations on March 2, 2025.

The Blue Ghost successfully landed near Mons Latreille, a solitary peak within Mare Crisium, or the Sea of Crises, in the moon’s northeastern hemisphere. Firefly posted the stunning image on social media platform X a day later, which highlights the stark contrast of the bright sun against the moon’s shadowy craters.

“Rise and shine! Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander captured its first sunrise on the Moon,” the company said in its post. “This marks the beginning of the lunar day and the start of surface operations in its new home.”

Following its landing, Blue Ghost began deploying its instruments, commencing operations for the 10 NASA payloads it carries. These instruments are expected to conduct various scientific experiments over the next two weeks, focusing on lunar geology, heat flow, and composition.

“With annual lunar missions, Firefly is paving the way for a lasting lunar presence,” said Firefly CEO Jason Kim. “We’re well-equipped to deliver reliable, affordable access to the moon, and we won’t stop there.”

The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which employs private companies to transport instruments to the moon. This is a historic achievement for Firefly, as it is the second private company to successfully land on the lunar surface, following Intuitive Machines‘ success in 2024.

Blue Ghost is set to conduct a variety of tasks, including testing new drilling technology and observing lunar dust dynamics. Notably, on March 14, Blue Ghost plans to capture images of a lunar eclipse, utilizing its onboard cameras to observe how sunlight influences lunar dust.

“The next two weeks will be critical as we gather extensive science data from all our payloads,” Kim said. “The insights we gather could redefine our understanding of the lunar environment.”

As Blue Ghost embarks on its mission, it joins a wave of new private enterprises vying for a foothold in lunar exploration, emphasizing collaboration and shared learning among such companies. “It’s really exciting to see multiple players making strides in this field,” said Ray Allensworth, Firefly’s spacecraft program director.

In conclusion, as Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost prepares to conduct its scientific investigations, all eyes are on the moon, with the world eagerly anticipating the discoveries that lie ahead.