NASA is set to finally unravel the mystery of the mysterious domes on the moon with its upcoming ‘Blue Ghost’ Mission 3. The lander, led by researchers from the University of Central Florida (UCF) and supported by partners including the University of Maryland, will investigate the domes’ “inexplicable origins” once and for all.
The Gruithuisen Domes, discovered in the 18th century, have perplexed scientists due to their unusual shape and location on the moon’s surface. Unlike Earth’s volcanic domes, which are formed with water and plate tectonics, the moon lacks these conditions, leaving scientists to wonder how they were created.
The Blue Ghost Mission 3 aims to deploy a rover and operate six NASA-sponsored payloads for over 14 days on the lunar surface. The mission’s principal investigator, Kerri Donaldson Hanna, is excited to work with Firefly Aerospace to plan science and exploration operations at the Gruithuisen Domes in 2028.
The mission will launch in 2028, after a 238,000-mile trip to the moon, and will be commanded to enter a cislunar orbit. The Elytra Dark spacecraft will remain in this orbital position to function as a communications relay with the lander’s surface package and mission scientists on Earth.
The Blue Ghost Mission 3 is seen as an opportunity not only to solve a centuries-long mystery but also to inform future robotic and human exploration of the moon, as well as better understand the history of Earth and other planets in the solar system.
Source: https://thedebrief.org/nasa-launching-blue-ghost-spacecraft-to-investigate-mysterious-domes-on-the-moon