Simultaneous launches signal growing private interest in lunar exploration, traditionally dominated by governments.

The mission featured two robotic lunar landers: one from Texas-based Firefly Aerospace and another from the Japanese space company ispace. Both landers, each roughly the size

Firefly's "Blue Moon" and ispace's "Resilience" are the latest in an ongoing push to gain private-sector experience exploring the moon.

SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Florida on Wednesday. Watch Falcon 9 launch 21 @Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities https://t.co/Qa7uTEJMQt The rocket took off at 10:27 a.m. from Launch Complex 39A at Kenney Space Center.

The launch comes as NASA aims to put a human on the moon again before the end of the decade - something last achieved in 1972.

The two robotic lunar landers —one from Firefly Aerospace based near Austin, Texas, and another from the Japanese space company ispace—will use their own small engines for the final maneuvers required to enter orbit around the Moon in the coming months.

Merritt Island, United States - January 15, 2025 A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches with two commercial lunar landers from Launch Complex-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on Jan. 15, 2025.