Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander, Blue Ghost, is preparing for its anticipated landing on the Moon’s surface on March 2. The spacecraft, carrying 10 NASA science payloads, launched from Florida in January and entered lunar orbit earlier this week. During its time in space, Blue Ghost has sent back breathtaking images of the lunar surface, including a stunning “blue marble” image of Earth.
The Blue Ghost lander is currently in the final two weeks of its spaceflight, with mission control awaiting communication with the spacecraft until it returns to view from the far side of the Moon. To capture these images, Firefly’s team has performed an orbital maneuver, which allowed them to capture a video of the far side of the Moon.
Firefly teams are now preparing for a soft landing on the near side of the Moon, aiming to be the second private U.S. organization to achieve this feat under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. They will attempt to land Blue Ghost near Mons Latreille, a volcanic feature in Mare Crisium.
The spacecraft has traveled 75 miles above the far side of the Moon and is expected to make history as the second private lunar lander to touch down on the surface. With only 45 days left until landing, Firefly Aerospace is one step closer to achieving its ambitious goal.
Source: https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space