In the early months of 2025, a series of ambitious missions are set to embark on journeys toward the moon. NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program is spearheading these endeavors, with multiple landers and spacecraft carrying advanced scientific instruments designed to explore the lunar surface and subsurface. This year promises to be particularly active, following the establishment of commercial presence on the moon in 2024. Despite potential shifts in priorities under new leadership, several key missions are already underway, including Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 and Intuitive Machines’ second CLPS mission. These ventures aim to uncover critical data about the moon's geology, environment, and potential resources.
The year 2025 marks a significant acceleration in lunar exploration efforts. In late February, a lunar lander is scheduled to depart from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, embarking on a journey that will carry it to the moon within weeks. This mission is part of a broader initiative aimed at investigating the layers just beneath the lunar surface. The first major milestone of this year was achieved on January 15, when Firefly Aerospace launched its Blue Ghost Mission 1 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Simultaneously, a Japanese company, ispace, sent its own lander, Resilience, on a slower but equally important trajectory. Both missions are expected to deliver valuable payloads that could shape future space exploration strategies.
Blue Ghost, the lander developed by Firefly Aerospace, is anticipated to touch down in the Mare Crisium region by March 2. Standing 6.6 feet tall and powered by solar energy, this craft carries ten scientific instruments, including a dust shield system to prevent particulate accumulation and devices for testing sample collection methods. The mission also aims to investigate heat flow from the lunar interior, plume-surface interactions, and crustal electric and magnetic fields. Additionally, it will capture X-ray images of Earth’s magnetosphere, providing insights into the relationship between our planet and its natural satellite.
Meanwhile, ispace’s Resilience lander is taking a more energy-efficient route to the moon, with an estimated arrival date in late May or June. Upon landing in the Mare Frigoris area, Resilience will deploy a micro rover named Tenacious. Equipped with a camera, shovel, and even a miniature model house, Tenacious is tasked with exploring the lunar surface, collecting materials, and transmitting data. The lander itself carries equipment for water electrolysis, deep space radiation studies, and food production experiments, showcasing the diverse applications of lunar research.
Intuitive Machines, having achieved the first-ever commercial moon landing last year, plans to launch its second CLPS mission around the end of February. The IM-2 Nova-C lander, dubbed Athena, is headed to the lunar south pole. Carrying a meter-long drill and a mass spectrometer, Athena will demonstrate the feasibility of extracting and analyzing samples on-site, particularly focusing on the presence of water. The mission also includes a laser retroreflector array, a Nokia-developed communication system, and a propulsive drone capable of hopping across the lunar surface. Together, these components aim to establish the moon’s first cellular network, enhancing surface connectivity and data transmission capabilities.
Looking ahead, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander may take its maiden voyage to the moon as early as spring or summer. While delays have characterized the development of this vehicle, recent advancements suggest a possible launch window. NASA has selected Blue Origin’s lander to deliver a camera system for studying lunar plume surface interactions, crucial for planning the first crewed Artemis moon landing. Astrobotic’s Griffin lander, set to launch in the fall, will carry a CubeRover and a laser retroreflector array to further expand our understanding of the moon’s geography and composition.
Despite the flurry of activity surrounding lunar exploration, human presence on the moon remains a distant goal. NASA has postponed the first crewed Artemis flight to April 2026, with the lunar landing mission now expected to launch in mid-2027. Nevertheless, the wealth of data and technological advancements gained from these unmanned missions will undoubtedly pave the way for future manned expeditions.