CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A privately developed lunar lander has successfully obtained the first high-resolution sunset images from the surface of the Moon.
The breathtaking images were unveiled by Firefly Aerospace in collaboration with NASA on Tuesday. These photos were captured before the Blue Ghost lander ceased operations over the past weekend. One notable image features Venus visible in the distance.
The Blue Ghost, designed and operated by Firefly Aerospace, achieved a lunar landing on March 2. It marked the first time a private spacecraft managed to land upright and complete its entire intended mission. The lander continued to transmit images and collect scientific data for five hours into the lunar night, eventually ceasing operations due to lack of solar power.
According to NASA’s Joel Kearns, the Blue Ghost’s collection of sunset images represents the highest resolution images ever taken of Earth’s celestial neighbor. He emphasized that scientists will need to thoroughly analyze these images, particularly regarding the observed horizon glow in one photo, to determine if it is caused by levitating dust. This concept was originally suggested over 50 years ago by Gene Cernan of Apollo 17, the last person to walk on the Moon.
"We're looking at a visually stunning image that also reveals some very interesting characteristics," Kearns stated during a press briefing.
The Blue Ghost was equipped with 10 experiments for NASA, as part of the agency’s commercial lunar delivery program. Although all primary objectives were achieved, officials noted that the lander’s drill was only able to penetrate 3 feet (1 meter) into the lunar surface, falling short of the planned 10 feet (3 meters).
Firefly has announced plans to attempt to reactivate the lander in early April after the two-week period of intense cold during the lunar night. However, engineers have expressed doubts about the likelihood of a successful restart.