Private spacecraft Blue Ghost lands on Moon

Blue Ghost left Earth on January 15, after being launched by US firm Firefly Aerospace with the intention of exploring the Sea of Crises, a huge crater visible from Earth. BBC reported.

The project is the latest collaboration by US space agency Nasa and private companies.

Intuitive Machines, another firm, is hoping to land its Athena spacecraft near the Moon's south pole in the next few days.

Intuitive was the first private company to achieve a lunar landing. Its spacecraft Odysseus reached the Moon on 22 February last year.

However, the mission was short-lived as the spacecraft landed on the slope of a crater, broke some landing gear and toppled over.

Blue Ghost touched down smoothly, having been orbiting the Moon for the last two weeks.

Staff at Firefly's headquarters in Texas broke out into cheering and applause when they were told their landing was successful.