In a groundbreaking launch Wednesday morning, SpaceX sent two lunar landers on separate missions, marking a major milestone in the race to commercialize the Moon.
The takeoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center carried landers from the Japanese company ispace and the American company Firefly Aerospace, both with the aim of identifying an advertising footprint on Earth’s neighboring Moon.
The two spacecraft shared a ride aboard a single Falcon nine rocket, cutting costs, but were separated by an hour into their journey, going their own way for the months-long trip to the Moon.
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.
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.
Blue Ghost, which measures 6. 6 inches tall, is expected to land first, in early March, on Mare Crisium, a volcanic plain.
Meanwhile, ispace’s largest lander, called Resilience, is expected to land in late May or early June in the northern region of Mare Frigoris.
Both companies will operate their landers on lunar day for about two weeks before closing their doors to avoid cold lunar nights.
Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly, explained the difficult situations ahead, especially given the history of failed missions to the Moon. Since the 1960s, five countries (the United States, the Soviet Union, China, India and Japan) have effectively landed on the Moon.
NASA will invest $101 million in the Firefly project, in addition to $44 million for onboard experiments. Hakamada declined to disclose the exact cost of the ispace project, but noted that he spent less than the $100 million on his first attempt.
Takeshi Hakamada, CEO of Ispace, said: “We don’t think it’s a race. Some people say “race to the moon,” but it’s not about speed.
Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly, said: “We went above and beyond in terms of design and engineering. “
NASA’s Nicky Fox said NASA is making arrangements to fly astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artmemis program.
Fox said: “We’re sending a lot of science and technology ahead of time.”
If either lander succeeds, ispace’s 11-pound rover will stay close to its lander, moving at just a few inches per second while forming separate spaces.
The rover will also offer an original gift: a miniature red spacecraft designed by a Swedish artist, designed as a symbolic gesture for long-term lunar exploration.
The personal sector is taking the lead in lunar exploration and planning other missions.
Houston-based Intuitive Machines is expected to launch its second lunar project in late February, following its successful landing last year, marking the first U. S. lunar landing in more than 50 years.
This article is additional information from The Associated Press.
Shamim Chowdhury is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on major international breaking news stories, in particular, conflicts, refugees and natural disasters. She has reported on the Syrian war from the frontline, the Ukraine war, the Rohingya refugee crisis and more. She joined Newsweek in 2024. She has an undergraduate degree from Queen Mary, University of London and a masters degree from Birkbeck, University of London. You can get in touch with Shamim by emailing s.chowdhury@newsweek,com. She is fluent in English, Sylheti and Bengali and conversational in Urdu and Hindi.