By 
February 19th, 2025
Image credit: Firefly Aerospace
The Firefly Moon landing team reports that a second lunar orbit maneuver has been attained.
Their Blue Ghost commercial lander performed a 3 minute, 18 second burn.
Blue Ghost Mission-1 will deliver 10 science and technology instruments to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
“This maneuver moved the lander from a high elliptical orbit to a much lower elliptical orbit around the Moon,” Firefly central explains.
In this orbit, the team will experience planned rolling communication blackouts as Blue Ghost goes around the far side of the Moon.
Closing in on the Moon! Firefly Blue Ghost new imagery.
Image credit: Firefly Aerospace
Landing date
When on the near side, the team will continue to downlink data and finalize the plan for the craft’s next maneuver that nudges Blue Ghost even closer to the lunar surface.
All is on track for sticking the lunar landing on March 2.
Blue Ghost will attempt to land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium.
Go to this newly released video of the Moon’s surface taken by Blue Ghost.
Posted in Space News
