Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost moon lander launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in January, aiming to study Earth from space. The lander will circle Earth for two weeks before heading to the moon via an engine burn that raises its orbit. On Jan. 24, it took photos of Earth as it prepared for its journey, using its thrusters to adjust its path.
Blue Ghost is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, set to deploy experiments studying lunar regolith and radiation, as well as a laser reflector array to measure Earth-moon distance. The lander has about two hours of battery life on its way to the moon, during which it will take images of the sunset and conduct science experiments.
Though Firefly Aerospace says the Blue Ghost is in perfect condition, flat-Earthers have raised concerns about image authenticity, with some accusing NASA of editing photos. Meanwhile, Brett, a airspace enthusiast, highlights the significance of the mission for scientific exploration.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/blue-ghost-moon-lander-sees-earth-as-a-blue-marble-from-orbit-photo