Blue Ghost Captures Stunning Far Side of the Moon — See the Rare VIDEO!

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander is making steady progress on its historic mission to the Moon. On 18 February 2025, the spacecraft successfully executed another crucial lunar orbit maneuver, bringing it one step closer to its final destination.

The latest maneuver involved a precise 3-minute, 18-second engine burn, which transitioned Blue Ghost from a high elliptical orbit to a lower elliptical orbit around the Moon. This achievement follows the spacecraft’s initial lunar orbit insertion on 13 February, when it fired its engines for four minutes and 15 seconds to enter its first elliptical lunar orbit.

Capturing the Moon’s Far Side

In a remarkable feat, Blue Ghost captured stunning footage of the Moon’s far side from an altitude of approximately 120 km shortly after its most recent burn. This imagery provides a unique perspective of the lunar surface rarely seen by human eyes, showcasing the spacecraft’s capabilities and the mission’s scientific potential.

Communication Blackouts 

The new orbit introduces planned rolling communications blackouts as Blue Ghost passes behind the far side of the Moon. During periods when the lander is on the near side, the mission team continues to downlink data and finalize plans for the next maneuver, which will bring Blue Ghost even closer to the lunar surface.

Scientific Payload

As part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, Blue Ghost is carrying 10 NASA science and technology payloads. These instruments are designed to study various aspects of the lunar environment, including:

• Subsurface heat flow
• Dust behavior
• The Moon’s magnetic field

Countdown to Landing

Firefly Aerospace remains on schedule for its targeted landing date of 2 March 2025, at 3:45 a.m. EST in the Mare Crisium region. As the mission progresses, Blue Ghost will continue to perform orbit adjustment maneuvers to achieve the precise trajectory required for a successful lunar landing.

Why Is It Big of a Deal?

This mission represents a significant step forward in commercial lunar exploration and NASA’s Artemis program. It paves the way for future scientific research and human exploration of the Moon, demonstrating the capabilities of private companies in advancing space exploration5.

As Blue Ghost continues its journey, space enthusiasts and scientists alike eagerly await the wealth of data and imagery that this groundbreaking mission will provide, bringing us one step closer to unlocking the mysteries of our celestial neighbor.