**Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander Captures Amazing Earth Reflection on Its Journey to the Moon**
Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander, *Blue Ghost*, has taken a stunning photo of Earth, creating an optical effect that makes it seem like two Earths are layered on top of one another. This visual is a result of the lander’s reflective solar panel, which mirrors the planet with remarkable clarity.
The picture, captured earlier this week, comes as *Blue Ghost* readies for its planned moon landing attempt on March 2. In the unedited version of the image, a small dot above Earth is identified as the moon—its ultimate destination. Also captured in the image are the spacecraft’s X-band antenna and a NASA instrument aimed at acquiring the first global perspective of Earth’s magnetic field.
On February 8, *Blue Ghost* successfully executed its translunar injection, a vital maneuver that positioned it en route to the moon. Joseph Marlin, the mission’s deputy chief engineer, compared this maneuver to “throwing to someone who’s sprinting ahead of you on a field”—a meticulously timed action to guarantee the spacecraft reaches its objective.
### **Entering Lunar Orbit**
UPDATE (Feb. 14, 2025, 9:43 a.m. EST): On Thursday at 8:51 p.m. ET, *Blue Ghost* finished a four-minute engine burn, enabling it to enter lunar orbit. The spacecraft will now orbit the moon for the next 16 days before attempting its landing.
### **A Significant Mission for NASA’s Lunar Aspirations**
Initially scheduled for launch in late 2024, *Blue Ghost* represents NASA’s first **Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS)** mission of the year. The CLPS initiative, which has allocated $2.6 billion to private-sector contracts, seeks to deliver scientific tools to the moon and gather vital information for future endeavors.
For this mission, Firefly Aerospace is carrying 10 NASA experiments. The space agency envisions a consistent flow of lunar missions to set the stage for **astronaut-driven Artemis missions**, anticipated in 2027 or later.
### **The Journey to the Moon**
After breaking free from Earth’s gravitational influence, *Blue Ghost* took around four days to arrive at the moon. However, rather than landing right away, Firefly Aerospace intends to maintain the spacecraft in lunar orbit for a few weeks before beginning its descent. The final landing process is projected to take about an hour.
While the mission has run smoothly thus far, the most demanding phase—landings on the moon—still awaits. Unlike Earth, the moon’s **exosphere** offers nearly no atmospheric resistance to slow a spacecraft. Furthermore, the lack of **GPS navigation** complicates precise landings even further. The moon’s lower gravity also increases the risk of landers tipping over by about **six times** compared to Earth.
### **A Significant Challenge for Private Space Enterprises**
Thus far, only a single private firm—**Intuitive Machines**—has successfully landed a robotic craft on the moon. In February 2024, its lander touched down near the moon’s south pole, albeit sideways. Despite the unusual landing position, the spacecraft continued to function.
Now, Firefly Aerospace aspires to join the ranks of successful lunar landers. Should *Blue Ghost* fulfill its mission, it will represent another significant achievement in NASA’s endeavors to establish a sustainable presence on the moon.