Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost spacecraft is nearing its lunar goal. Days before its landing attempt, it shared detailed images of the moon. The spacecraft, which entered lunar orbit this month, recorded footage from 120 km above.
Close-up of the moon’s hidden side
Firefly Aerospace released the new footage on its official X account. The video shows the moon’s far side, hidden from Earth’s view. The surface appears rocky, covered in craters from past impacts.
The post read, "Earthrise, Earth set, repeat!" It confirmed Blue Ghost’s third and final orbital adjustment. "Early this morning, our #GhostRiders performed a 16-second burn," it added. This manoeuvre placed the spacecraft in a low lunar orbit.
Next, Blue Ghost will perform another 19-second burn. This will adjust its orbit to begin descent towards Mare Crisium. The landing attempt is scheduled for 2 March.
Mission goals and lunar operations
Joseph Marlin, deputy chief engineer for Blue Ghost, praised the new footage. "We imagined how the images might look," he told CNN. "But seeing real footage of the moon is incredible."
Blue Ghost launched on 15 January from Kennedy Space Centre, Florida. After separating from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, it established communication. The company's Mission Operations Centre in Texas is monitoring its journey.
The spacecraft spent 25 days orbiting Earth before heading to the moon. It then took four days to reach lunar orbit, where it stayed for 16 days.
Once it lands in Mare Crisium, it will begin operations. It carries 10 NASA payloads for scientific and technological experiments. These include sample collection, X-ray imaging, and subsurface drilling. Blue Ghost will function for one full lunar day, equal to 14 Earth days.
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