Texas makes history as Firefly Aerospace lands first successful private moon mission

Texas makes history as Firefly Aerospace lands first successful private moon mission
Early Saturday morning, Texas-based Firefly Aerospace made the second private moon landing and the first fully successful private moon landing in history.

"I probably won't sleep for a week at this point. I mean, my heart rate," Spacecraft Program Director Ray Allensworth joked with ABC.

The lunar lander is carrying several payloads that will be used to conduct experiments for NASA.

"It's important to us that we deliver on that promise, and so there's game-changing science on here," Firefly Aerospace CEO Jason Kim said.

Fellow Texas-based company Intuitive Machines made the first private moon landing last year. This week, the company is also working to put a lunar lander on the moon, which will also be used to conduct NASA experiments.

"I want to see (Intuitive Machines) put some moon dust on their boots too, and we are two Texas companies landing on the moon within one week. So, we're really proud to be from Texas," Kim said.

Legendary former Astronaut Buzz Aldrin wrote on X that the two missions mark "A new milestone in the collaborations between NASA and private Space companies." The agency is utilizing private companies as scouts before sending humans back to the moon with Artemis Missions.

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