Blue Ghost, a spacecraft built by Firefly Aerospace, successfully completed its mission on the moon’s near side. The spacecraft, about the size of a small car, conducted various experiments such as drilling into the lunar soil, taking X-ray images of Earth’s magnetic bubble, and seeking a mysterious yellow glow at sunset. Blue Ghost became the first commercial company to land successfully on the moon.
NASA sponsored the mission, paying Firefly $101.5 million to carry 10 science and technology payloads to the lunar surface. One of the experiments, PlanetVac, demonstrated a technology to collect soil and rocks more efficiently. Another experiment, Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder, gathered data about the moon’s interior. The spacecraft also witnessed a total solar eclipse and captured high-resolution images of the lunar horizon glow at sunset.
The mission ended after the sunset on March 16, with Blue Ghost sending a final message before going into Monument Mode. Although the spacecraft was not designed to survive the lunar night, Firefly will listen for radio messages in case Blue Ghost revives after the sun rises again. The successful mission showcases the capabilities of commercial ventures in space exploration and adds valuable insights into lunar science.
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