Blue Ghost Lunar Lander: Firefly Aerospace Moon Landing
Why in the news
US firm Firefly Aerospace put Blue Ghost Mission 1 safely on the Moon in early March, standing upright unlike February’s private lander that toppled.
Key facts
- Site: Mons Latreille in Mare Crisium, a north-eastern near-side basin.
- Descent: autonomous, slowing from thousands of miles per hour to about 2 mph.
- Launch: SpaceX Falcon 9; 2.8 million miles travelled; it also carried a Japanese lander due to try its own landing in May.
- Mission control in Austin, Texas; CEO Jason Kim and NASA’s Nicky Fox confirmed its health.
| Payload | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Lunar soil analyser | Surface composition |
| Radiation-tolerant computer | Computing in space radiation |
| GPS-like navigation test | Can Earth’s satellite navigation work on the Moon |
Planned observations
- About 14 March: HD images of a total eclipse seen from the lunar horizon.
- About 16 March: a lunar sunset, to study dust rising above the surface, first noted by Apollo astronaut Eugene Cernan.
Significance
- Part of NASA’s Artemis plan to partner with private firms, cutting costs for future crewed missions.
Exam angle
- Blue Ghost: Firefly Aerospace; site Mons Latreille; programme Artemis.