With the arrival of the Blue Ghost lander on the Moon this weekend, astronomers around the world are eagerly awaiting a series of stunning new images that will provide a truly immersive, and even unprecedented, look at our planet's natural satellite.
The Firefly Aerospace mission successfully landed in the Mare Crisium region of the Moon on Sunday, March 2, and the company has immediately shared the first images taken by the Blue Ghost lander.
Along with the impressive image showing the lander's shadow on the lunar surface (as shown above), another image depicts Earth clearly visible in the beautiful night sky:
This image also shows two of the lander's instruments: the X-band antenna to send data back to Earth and the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI), which will use X-rays to study how solar winds interact with Earth's magnetic field and is one of several NASA instruments on the lander.
Speaking about the lander's complex landing technique, NASA Administrator Janet Petro said:
This incredible achievement demonstrates how NASA and American companies are leading the way in space exploration for the benefit of all. We learned many lessons – and the technology and science demonstrations on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 will improve our ability not only to explore the Moon further, but also to ensure the safety of our spacecraft for future manned missions – both short-term and long-term.
Another newly released image shows a top-down view of the lunar surface with the lander's thrusters clearly visible:
Deployment of the lander's instruments has begun, and today Firefly announced that the X-band antenna is fully deployed. Compared to the lander's S-band antennas, which are used to send back low-quality images, the X-band antenna will allow for higher-quality images, scientific data, and even video to be sent back to Earth.
NASA Associate Administrator for Science Nicky Fox said:
The science and technology we send to the Moon today prepares for future NASA exploration missions and a long-term human presence that will inspire the world for generations to come.
For the first time in history, astronomers have discovered a celestial sphere around a star that possesses many similar characteristics to the sun.
Mercury is the smallest planet in the Solar System and also the closest planet to the Sun. Mercury orbits the Sun at an incredibly fast speed, averaging nearly 106,000 miles per hour. These are just a few of the many interesting facts about this planet.
Beautiful moon pictures are not rare on the Internet. This article will summarize for you the most beautiful moon pictures in the world.
When NASA's Artemis I mission successfully launches into space and begins its journey around the moon in 2022, there won't be any astronauts on board — instead, there will be two adult-sized mannequins.
Sometimes, even famous objects, observed and studied for a very long time, contain many surprises.
This event is extremely rare, but the team hopes to observe more in the future thanks to JWST and other advanced observatories coming online.
What to expect from the world of space and astronomy in 2025? Let's explore the unmissable astronomy moments this year!
Exoplanets are planets located outside the Solar System.
A stunning new image sent back from the world's most expensive space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, shows the moment two galaxies are about to collide.
The Hubble Space Telescope has continued to demonstrate its irreplaceable importance in the field of astronomical research, bringing back to humanity a unique image showing the brilliant beauty of the Veil Nebula.
This stunning image shows a fiery object called the Rosette Nebula located 5,000 light-years from Earth, and was captured by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) instrument on the Víctor M. Blanco 4m Telescope in Chile.
The universe is truly amazing, partly because of its enormous size, and also because of the mysteries that are beyond human imagination.
The Hubble Space Telescope has recently encountered some operational problems, forcing scientists to change the way it operates.
The ability to detect X-rays also makes Chandra important for complex astronomical missions.
Students need a specific type of laptop for their studies. It should not only be powerful enough to perform well in their chosen major, but also compact and light enough to carry around all day.
Birth defects are something no one wants. Although they cannot be completely prevented, you can take the following steps to reduce the risk of birth defects in your baby.
As you know, RAM is a very important hardware part in a computer, acting as memory to process data and is the factor that determines the speed of a laptop or PC. In the article below, WebTech360 will introduce you to some ways to check for RAM errors using software on Windows.
The automatic home coffee maker is a modern and professional product, bringing you and your family delicious cups of coffee with just a few quick steps.
Smart TVs have really taken the world by storm. With so many great features and the ability to connect to the Internet, technology has changed the way we watch TV.
Refrigerators are familiar appliances in families. Refrigerators usually have 2 compartments, the cool compartment is spacious and has a light that automatically turns on every time the user opens it, while the freezer compartment is narrow and has no light.
Wi-Fi networks are affected by many factors beyond routers, bandwidth, and interference, but there are some smart ways to boost your network.
If you want to go back to stable iOS 16 on your phone, here is the basic guide to uninstall iOS 17 and downgrade from iOS 17 to 16.
Yogurt is a great food. Is it good to eat yogurt every day? What will happen to your body when you eat yogurt every day? Let's find out together!
This article discusses the most nutritious types of rice and how to maximize the health benefits of whichever rice you choose.
Establishing a sleep schedule and bedtime routine, changing your alarm clock, and adjusting your diet are some of the measures that can help you sleep better and wake up on time in the morning.
Rent Please! Landlord Sim is a simulation mobile game on iOS and Android. You will play as a landlord of an apartment complex and start renting out an apartment with the goal of upgrading the interior of your apartments and getting them ready for rent.
Get Bathroom Tower Defense Roblox game codes and redeem them for exciting rewards. They will help you upgrade or unlock towers with higher damage.
Let's learn about the structure, symbols and operating principles of transformers in the most accurate way.
From better picture and sound quality to voice control and more, these AI-powered features are making smart TVs so much better!
