HONORING FIREFLY AEROSPACE ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE BLUE GHOST LUNAR LANDING

HONORING FIREFLY AEROSPACE ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE BLUE GHOST LUNAR LANDING

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 3, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E179-E180] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING FIREFLY AEROSPACE ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE BLUE GHOST LUNAR LANDING ______ HON. JOHN R. CARTER of texas in the house of representatives Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Mr. CARTER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable achievement by one of the finest companies in the great state of Texas, Firefly Aerospace of Cedar Park, on the one-year anniversary of their historic Blue Ghost Mission 1 lunar landing. One year ago, on March 2, 2025, Firefly Aerospace made history when their Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down in Mare Crisium on the near side of the Moon. With that landing, Firefly became the first commercial company to achieve a fully successful soft landing on the Moon--a milestone in the modern era of American space exploration. This was not merely a corporate achievement; it was an American achievement. Blue Ghost launched on January 15, 2025, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, carrying ten scientific instruments for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and the Artemis campaign to return humans to the Moon. Blue Ghost operates from Firefly's Mission Control Center in Cedar Park, Texas, in the heart of the 31st Congressional District, which I am proud to serve. Firefly's success stands as a testament to American ingenuity and private enterprise. Where NASA's Apollo 17 last touched the [[Page E180]] Moon in 1972, Firefly's team has opened a new chapter of commercial lunar access that will strengthen our national security and scientific leadership. As a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, I am proud to support the federal investments that helped make this success possible. I commend the entire Firefly team, from the engineers at their Cedar Park headquarters to the technicians at the Texas Rocket Ranch in Briggs and their more than 500-person workforce. The 31st District of Texas is home to warriors, farmers, and now, Moon landers. I congratulate Firefly Aerospace on one year since they reached the Moon and showed the world what American commercial space can do. ____________________