SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Two Lunar Landers on Groundbreaking Missions

The Blue Ghost and Resilience landers, developed by private companies, mark the start of a busy year for lunar exploration under NASA’s CLPS program.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, carrying the Blue Ghost and Resilience lunar landers.
Blue Ghost, developed by Firefly Aerospace, is set to land on the Mare Crisium in approximately 45 days and conduct ten NASA-backed scientific experiments.
Resilience, created by Japan's ispace, will arrive at the Mare Frigoris in four to five months, equipped with the Tenacious rover to explore the lunar surface and collect material samples.
The missions are part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which partners with private firms to advance lunar research and prepare for future manned missions.
This year, NASA plans five additional uncrewed lunar missions, aiming to gather knowledge for the first manned Moon landing in over 50 years, expected in 2027.