In first, private US spacecraft lands upright on the Moon

A US company successfully landed its spacecraft on the Moon on Sunday, marking only the second private mission to achieve the milestone — and the first to do so upright.

- Agence France-Presse

WASHINGTON:

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 touched down shortly after 3:34 am US Eastern Time (0834 GMT) near Mons Latreille, a volcanic formation in Mare Crisium on the Moon's northeastern near side.

"Y'all stuck the landing, we're on the Moon," an engineer at mission control in Austin, Texas, called out as the team erupted in cheers.

CEO Jason Kim confirmed that the spacecraft was "stable and upright" — in contrast to the first private landing last February, which came down sideways. "We're on the Moon!" Nicky Fox, associate administrator for Nasa's Science Mission Directorate, rejoiced.