BLUE GHOST MISSION 1: PRIVATE LUNAR SUCCESS

GS3 SCIENCE & TECH:

1. Mission Overview

• Date: March 2, 2025
• Operator: Firefly Aerospace
• Significance:
  • Second-ever private lunar landing.
  • First to land upright.
  • Part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.

2. Landing and Location

• Landed at: Mons Latreille, Mare Crisium on the Moon.
• Preceded by: Intuitive Machines’ first commercial lunar landing in February 2024.

3. Mission Details

• Launch Date: January 15, 2025.
• Rocket Used: SpaceX Falcon 9.
• Lander Size: Comparable to a hippopotamus.
• Scientific Payload:
  • 10 instruments, including a lunar soil analyser and a radiation-tolerant computer.
  • Operational Duration: One lunar day (14 Earth days).

4. Objectives & Experiments

• High-definition imaging and scientific analysis.
• Major events to capture:
  • Total eclipse on March 14, 2025.
  • Lunar sunset on March 16, 2025.
• Lunar Dust Study: Examining how dust behaves under solar influence.

5. Future Lunar Missions

• Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission:
  • Scheduled for March 6, 2025.
  • Lander: Athena.
  • Carries: Three rovers + a hopping drone to explore rugged terrain.

6. Challenges of Lunar Landings

• No atmosphere → Requires precise thruster burns for descent.
• High precision required to ensure safe landing.

7. NASA’s Role & CLPS Program

• NASA’s $2.6 billion CLPS initiative supports private lunar missions.
• Aims to reduce costs and increase exploration frequency through private partnerships.