NASA's Blue Ghost Mission 1 Successfully Lands on Moon
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Synopsis
NASA's Blue Ghost Mission 1 successfully landed on the Moon, delivering crucial scientific instruments to test various lunar technologies. This mission aims to enhance our understanding of space weather and its effects on Earth while conducting surface operations.
Key Takeaways
- Blue Ghost Mission 1 has landed on the Moon.
- The mission will test lunar subsurface drilling technology.
- Data collected may offer insights on space weather's impact on Earth.
- The lander will deploy various scientific instruments over the next 24 hours.
- Blue Ghost conducted a critical braking maneuver prior to landing.
Washington, March 2 (NationPress) - Delivering a collection of NASA’s scientific and technological payloads, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 has successfully landed on the Moon's surface this Sunday.
As per a statement from NASA, the mission's scientific instruments are designed to test and showcase technologies such as lunar subsurface drilling, regolith sample collection, capabilities related to global navigation satellite systems, radiation-resistant computing, and methods for mitigating lunar dust.
The information gathered during this mission may also offer valuable insights for humanity by enhancing our understanding of how space weather and cosmic phenomena impact our planet.
Blue Ghost will initiate surface commissioning and conduct health assessments on each subsystem.
Upon completion, the lander will proceed to execute its payload operations and scientific demonstrations.
Over the next 24 hours, Blue Ghost is scheduled to deploy its surface access arm equipped with the Electrodynamic Dust Shield and Lunar PlanetVac, calibrate the top deck gimbal for the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager, and activate operations for the Radiation Tolerant Computer, Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies, and the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment, according to the US space agency.
During a critical 9-minute braking burn, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander aligned itself above the designated landing site, transitioning from a horizontal to vertical orientation.
This vital burn, utilizing all engines, decreased Blue Ghost’s orbital speed from approximately 5,500 feet per second to 130 feet per second.
Following this braking action, Blue Ghost’s main engine powered down with less than two minutes remaining before landing. The lander’s Reaction Control System thrusters then executed the final descent, adjusting as necessary to lower its speed to about 3 feet per second prior to touchdown.
Simultaneously, Blue Ghost's vision navigation system monitored craters, slopes, and rocks to determine a safe landing area within the zone.
