Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its Blue Ghost lander on the moon, marking a significant achievement in the company’s efforts under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. The landing occurred at 3:34 AM ET in the Mare Crisium region.
This mission is notable as Blue Ghost is the first commercial lander to achieve a proper landing on the lunar surface. Previous attempts, such as Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus, resulted in a less favorable landing position.
Blue Ghost is expected to operate for approximately 14 Earth days before the onset of lunar night. During this operational period, the lander aims to capture high-definition images, including a total eclipse and lunar sunset, while also studying the behavior of levitating lunar dust.
Additionally, NASA is testing instruments aboard Blue Ghost that can drill and collect samples from the moon’s surface. The mission, which launched on January 15, has already transmitted over 27 GB of data back to Earth, contributing significantly to the scientific objectives of the CLPS initiative.
Firefly shared a photo of the lander’s shadow on the lunar surface, indicating a successful touchdown and the start of operational activities.
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