Private Space Tech Companies Racing to the Moon

Simran Mishra

Firefly Aerospace: Landed Blue Ghost in 2025; plans far-side Moon landing in Q2 2026 with 3+ global payloads.

Intuitive Machines: Targets IM-3 mission in H2 2026 after 2 attempts, studying Reiner Gamma lunar swirls.

Blue Origin: Blue Moon Mark 1 set for 2026; part of a $3.4B NASA Artemis V lander contract.

Astrobotic: Griffin-1 mission planned July 2026, carrying a 1,000-pound FLIP rover to Moon’s South Pole.

SpaceX: Launch provider for most missions; Falcon 9 and Heavy power 60%+ private lunar launches.

ispace: Japan-based firm attempts second Moon landing in 2026 with its Resilience lunar lander.

Rocket Lab: Supplies solar panels and software; Neutron rocket debut planned for lunar missions in 2026.

Astrolab: Provides FLIP rover designed to haul heavy cargo and scout lunar sites for future crews.

NASA CLPS Program: Funds 10+ private missions, cutting lunar delivery costs by nearly 50%.

Read More Stories
Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp