Produced by: Manoj Kumar
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost just made history—landing upright on the Moon, unlike its predecessor. The precision touchdown marks a leap for private space exploration. What’s next?
On March 14, Blue Ghost will capture a total eclipse from the Moon’s surface. Scientists hope it sheds light on the mysterious lunar horizon glow first seen by Apollo astronauts.
One of Blue Ghost’s boldest experiments: testing if Earth’s satellite navigation system can work on the Moon. If successful, future lunar missions might just use GPS to find their way.
The lander touched down near Mons Latreille, an ancient volcanic formation. Scientists hope this site reveals clues about the Moon’s fiery past and its geologic evolution.
Blue Ghost landed just 100 meters from its target after executing two hazard-avoidance maneuvers. Precision like this is crucial for future astronaut landings in rough terrain.
Unlike Earth, the Moon’s lack of atmosphere means parachutes won’t work. Blue Ghost had to rely solely on thrusters, slowing from thousands of mph to just 2 mph before landing.
This mission is part of a $2.6 billion NASA initiative funding private moon landers. These robotic pioneers will help lay the groundwork for Artemis, NASA’s plan to send astronauts back.
On board: a lunar soil analyzer, a radiation-tolerant computer, and instruments to study how Moon dust behaves. Future space bases could depend on findings from this mission.
Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 in January, the lander traveled 2.8 million miles before sticking its historic landing. Private space companies are reshaping humanity’s return to the Moon.