Private US, Japanese lunar landers launch on single rocket

US and Japanese lunar landers launched on SpaceX Falcon 9, showcasing private sector's growing role in space exploration.

One rocket, two missions: lunar landers built by US and Japanese companies launched their "rideshare" to the Moon on Wednesday, showcasing the private sector's growing role in space exploration.

On board the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that took off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida were Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost and ispace's Resilience from Japan, which will also deploy a micro rover.

Both uncrewed missions aim to build on the success of Texas-based Intuitive Machines, which last year became the first company to successfully touch down on the earth's celestial neighbour.

Until recently, soft landings on the Moon were achieved only by a handful of well-funded national space agencies, starting with the Soviet Union in 1966.

Now, however, several emerging US companies are attempting to replicate this feat under NASA's experimental Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, designed to cut costs and stimulate a lunar economy.

The US plans to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon later this decade under the Artemis program, leveraging commercial partners to deliver critical hardware at a fraction of the cost of government-led missions.

"Each milestone we complete will provide valuable data for future missions and ultimately keep the United States and our international partners at the forefront of space exploration," Firefly Aerospace CEO Jason Kim said Tuesday.