Firefly’s Blue Ghost Is About To Make An Historic Moon Landing Attempt – Here’s How To Watch

Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander, Blue Ghost, is about to attempt a feat only achieved by few: landing on the Moon. The lander is currently in Lunar orbit and the striking images already returned are breathtaking. Phase two of the project, labelled Blue Ghost Mission 1 or Ghost Riders in the Sky, is to place the lander on the Moon – which is easier said than done. Keep reading to see how you can watch the groundbreaking attempt on 2 March.

Where To Watch The Upcoming Blue Ghost Landing Attempt

On Sunday, 2 March, 2:30 am US EST time, NASA and Firefly will commence the landing manoeuvre. NASA said they will be streaming the event live on NASA+ – the company’s space-orientated Netflix. Coverage will begin “approximately 75 minutes before Blue Ghost touches down on the Moon’s surface,” NASA confirmed. 

Alternative viewing options include Firefly’s YouTube channel. If you’re more of a reader or unable to physically watch the landing, NASA will be offering rolling coverage via blog updates “as the descent milestone occurs,” the US space agency added.     

How Will NASA & Firefly Land Blue Ghost On The Moon?

Since launching on 15 January, the lander has been venturing through space, eventually reaching lunar orbit on 13 February. But on 24 February, Firefly announced that Blue Ghost completed its final manoeuvre: a 16-second burn to reach near-circular low lunar orbit. After the successful adjustment, Blue Ghost has been placed in an optimal position to reach the Moon’s surface. 

The next-step is the most difficult: landing in the Mare Crisium, a basin the size of the UK on the near side of the Moon. To complete this phase, Firefly and NASA will perform a “19-second Descent Orbit Insertion at our 100-km perilune.” Firefly outlined that Blue Ghost should touch down on the lunar surface on 2 March. 

NASA Are Ready To Start Survey The Moon’s Surface

Should Blue Ghost reach the Moon’s landscape without any issues, something only three other nations have managed to achieve, NASA’s 10 instruments onboard will get to work. The US space agency said: “[our] instruments on this flight are currently healthy and ready to operate on the lunar surface.” To test the instruments, NASA said they’ve flicked the power on and began absorbing data while en route to the Moon, achieving milestones along the way. 

One such milestone was, in fact, record breaking. NASA’s Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment and Global Navigation Satellite System signalled for the first time while in orbit. What this tells scientists and engineers is that agencies will be able to use Earthly GNSS constellations to navigate while in transit to the Moon. Another possibility NASA will test is if the navigation system will work on the lunar surface. To do so, NASA’s LuGRE will begin a 14-day operational attempt – another record breaking feat if pulled off, NASA said. Eye’s will remain pinned to Blue Ghost over the coming weeks and months to see if the lander accomplishes its mission.