[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.

                          ____________________