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By Shamim Chowdhury
Content Reporter
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In a groundbreaking launch early on Wednesday, SpaceX sent two lunar landers on separate missions, marking a major step in the race to commercialize the Moon.
The liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Center carried landers from Japanese company ispace and U.S.-based Firefly Aerospace, both aiming to establish a business footprint on Earth's lunar neighbor.
The two spacecraft shared a ride aboard a single Falcon 9 rocket, reducing costs, but diverged an hour into their journey, each on its own path for the months-long trek to the Moon.
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Why it Matters
The launch marks ispace's second attempt after its first lander crashed in 2022. The new mission carries a rover designed to collect lunar soil samples and test for potential water and food sources, which are both crucial for future lunar colonization.
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Race to Commercialize The Moon
Firefly Aerospace, a Texas-based company, is flying a set of 10 NASA-funded experiments on its Blue Ghost lander. These include a vacuum to collect lunar dust, a drill to measure subsurface temperatures, and a device to help astronauts manage the Moon's abrasive regolith.
What to Know
Blue Ghost, which stands at 6 feet 6 inches tall, is expected to touch down first, in early March, at Mare Crisium, a volcanic plain.
Meanwhile, ispace's slightly larger lander, named Resilience, is set to land in late May or early June in the northern region of Mare Frigoris.
Both companies will operate their landers during the lunar daytime for about two weeks before shutting down to avoid the cold lunar nights.
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How Many Failed Moon Missions Have There Been?
Firefly CEO Jason Kim acknowledged the challenges ahead, especially considering the Moon's history of failed missions. Since the 1960s, only five countries—the U.S., Soviet Union, China, India, and Japan—have successfully landed on the Moon.
NASA is funding Firefly's mission to the tune of $101 million, in addition to $44 million for the experiments onboard. Hakamada declined to disclose the exact cost of ispace's mission but noted it was less than the $100 million spent on its first attempt.
What People Are Saying
Ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada said: "We don't think this is a race. Some people say 'race to the Moon,' but it's not about the speed,"
Firefly CEO Jason Kim said: "We've done everything we can on the design and the engineering,"
NASA's Nicky Fox, said NASA is continuing its preparations to return astronauts to the Moon under the Artmemis program.
Fox said: "We're sending a lot of science and technology ahead of time."
What Happens Now
Should both landers succeed, ispace's 11-pound rover will stay near its lander, moving at just a few centimeters per second while carrying out experiments.
The rover will also deliver a quirky gift: a miniature red house designed by a Swedish artist, intended as a symbolic gesture for future lunar exploration.
The private sector is taking the lead in lunar exploration, with more missions planned.
Houston-based Intuitive Machines is set to launch its second lunar mission by the end of February, following its successful landing last year, marking the first U.S. lunar touchdown in over 50 years.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press.
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