An uncrewed spacecraft has taken an impressive photograph of Earth from outer space, providing a new viewpoint of our “blue marble.” The image was captured by Firefly Aerospace’s **Blue Ghost lander**, a privately operated spacecraft hired by **NASA** to transport scientific experiments to the **moon**. Presently, the spacecraft is orbiting Earth as it readies itself for its first attempt at landing on the lunar surface.

The picture, taken during Blue Ghost’s second engine burn, signifies an important milestone in its voyage to the moon, which is situated about **239,000 miles away**. This burn is part of various maneuvers needed to place the spacecraft on its lunar path. In the upcoming two weeks, Blue Ghost will keep orbiting Earth before executing its **Trans Lunar Injection**, a vital maneuver that will send it toward the moon.

For the team involved in the mission, the spacecraft’s initial engine burn in space was a deeply moving occasion. Ryan Cole, the engine manager, mentioned in a **video update** that observing the successful maneuver left the team in disbelief. “The moment we completed the maneuver was really special for everybody. I don’t think anybody quite believed what they were looking at for the first few seconds,” Cole stated. “Everything looks healthy right now.”

### A Pioneering Mission in Progress

Blue Ghost is the first **NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services** mission of this year. Initially planned for a late 2024 launch, the initiative is part of NASA’s $2.6 billion investment in partnerships with the private sector to deliver instruments to the moon and collect vital data. The spacecraft lifted off aboard a **SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket** on January 15, sharing its flight with Japan’s **ispace Resilience lander**, which is attempting a second lunar landing after a failed attempt in 2023. Both spacecraft successfully detached from the rocket later that day.

The lander from Firefly Aerospace is carrying 10 NASA experiments, aiding the agency’s objective of establishing a **consistent schedule of moon missions**. Such missions are crucial in paving the way for **astronaut-led Artemis expeditions**, anticipated to commence in 2027 or beyond.

### Difficulties of Lunar Landings

Achieving a landing on the moon is still a significant challenge. The moon’s **exosphere**—a thin, nearly nonexistent atmosphere—provides no resistance to slow down descending spacecraft. Moreover, the absence of **GPS systems** on the lunar surface complicates precise landings even further. Despite these hurdles, Blue Ghost is poised to make history.

Once the spacecraft embarks on its journey toward the moon, it will take four days to achieve lunar orbit. After spending 16 days orbiting the moon, Blue Ghost will descend to the surface, targeting a landing date of **March 2**.

This mission signifies a meaningful advancement in lunar exploration as NASA and its commercial partners continue to extend the frontiers of space exploration.