Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission Makes Historic Touchdown on the Moon

New Delhi: Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander has successfully landed on the Moon, marking a major milestone in commercial space exploration. 

The spacecraft touched down in the Mare Crisium region, becoming the first of three major missions set to reach the Moon in the coming weeks.  

Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 15, 2025, Blue Ghost spent a month orbiting Earth before making its 16-day journey toward the Moon. The spacecraft refined its trajectory during its lunar orbit, ensuring a precise landing near Mons Latreille, a site chosen for its scientific value.  

Also Read: Moon Like Never Before! Blue Ghost Reveals Sharpest-Ever Visuals of Giant Craters | WATCH

A Scientific Powerhouse on the Moon

Blue Ghost carries 10 NASA payloads as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, designed to advance our understanding of the Moon’s environment. Some key objectives include:  

Heat Flow Analysis: Studying heat escape from the Moon’s interior to understand its thermal evolution.  

Plume-Surface Interactions: Examining how lunar dust reacts to lander engine plumes to improve future landing techniques. 

Magnetic & Electric Fields: Investigating the Moon’s geological history.  

X-Ray Imaging of Earth’s Magnetosphere: Providing new insights into our planet’s magnetic shield.  

Lunar Dust Adhesion: Testing how dust sticks to surfaces, crucial for designing future lunar missions.  

GNSS Feasibility: Evaluating if Earth’s navigation satellite signals can aid lunar positioning.  

One of the mission's most anticipated moments will be capturing a total eclipse from the Moon, as Earth blocks the Sun on March 16. The lander will also record the lunar sunset, providing valuable data on how solar influences cause lunar dust to levitate, a phenomenon first documented during Apollo 17.  

Also Read: Athena & Blue Ghost: Why Is There A Sudden Rush For Moon's Surface

How Long Will Blue Ghost Operate?

The lander is expected to function for 14 Earth days (one full lunar day), performing scientific experiments and capturing high-definition imagery of the Moon’s surface. This includes documenting the elusive lunar horizon glow, last observed by Apollo astronauts over 50 years ago.  

A New Era of Lunar Exploration

Blue Ghost’s success marks another leap for private space companies, playing a crucial role in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.  

Following Blue Ghost’s achievement, two more private landers are set to make lunar landings: Intuitive Machines’ Athena, targeting the Moon’s south pole, and Japan’s Resilience lander.