Overview

• Intuitive Machines’ Athena lander launched on February 26 and is scheduled to land near the Moon’s south pole on March 6, aiming to drill for water ice and test a lunar cellular network.
• Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander, expected to touch down on March 2, has already captured high-resolution images of the Moon’s far side and will deliver NASA payloads to study the lunar surface.
• Japan-based ispace’s Resilience lander, arriving in May or June, plans to deploy a rover to collect soil samples and test scientific instruments, marking the company’s second lunar mission attempt.
• NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program is enabling these missions, leveraging private companies to reduce costs and accelerate lunar exploration efforts.
• While these missions highlight the potential of private space exploration, concerns remain about prioritizing profit-driven goals over long-term scientific research and safety.