Embarking on a captivating journey titled “Blue Ghost Lunar Lander’s Moon Odyssey,” the lander carries 10 NASA science and technology instruments as part of the space agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. These instruments are set to collect and transmit valuable data from the moon. The CLPS initiative contributes to NASA’s broader Artemis program, with the goal of landing astronauts on the moon for the first time in over 50 years.
As per the latest update from the NASA Artemis blog, all NASA technology aboard the lander is reported to be in good health and operating as anticipated. Jason Kim, the CEO of Firefly, expressed excitement over the prospect of sharing images and footage captured by Blue Ghost. Highlighting the unique phenomenon of the lunar horizon glow, caused by scattered light from floating electrostatic particles, Kim emphasized the significance of capturing this in 4K-by-4K high-definition video for global viewing.
Blue Ghost initiated its mission by capturing its first photos of the moon from the spacecraft’s orbit around Earth, as revealed by Firefly Aerospace. The company aims to further capture high-definition imagery of a total lunar eclipse, an event where Earth comes between the moon and the sun, casting a reddish hue on the moon as it enters Earth’s shadow. This eclipse will be visible to regions including Western Europe, parts of Asia, parts of Australia, western Africa, North and South America, and Antarctica on March 13-14.
The next phase of the mission involves Blue Ghost landing on the far eastern edge of the moon’s near side near Mons Latreille, an ancient volcanic feature located within Mare Crisium, or the “Sea of Crises,” spanning over 300 miles wide. Following the landing, the lander will conduct surface operations for approximately one lunar day, equivalent to about 14 Earth days, before transitioning into lunar nighttime. The period of darkness and cold temperatures during lunar nighttime are expected to lead the spacecraft to cease operations.
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