Private Mission to the Moon: Paving the Way for Humanity’s Return to the Lunar Surface | Science, Climate & Tech News
Next month, a private mission aimed at facilitating humanity’s return to the moon will be launched.
Named Ghost Riders in the Sky by US start-up Firefly Aerospace, the mission is set to land in the Sea of Crisis, a dark area on the moon’s near side that is approximately the size of Britain.
The Blue Ghost lunar lander is equipped with 10 scientific instruments and technology demonstrations, part of NASA’s collaboration with commercial entities.
The Blue Ghost lunar lander. Pic: Firefly Aerospace
Jason Kim, the CEO of Firefly Aerospace, revealed that NASA has agreed to a fixed price of $101 million (£80 million) for this mission, a cost achievable due to technological innovations.
“We envision a future characterized by a thriving lunar economy,” he stated.
“It serves as the gateway to other celestial bodies, like Mars. Thus, enabling frequent, affordable, and high-value science missions is precisely what the private sector aims to achieve with this inaugural Blue Ghost mission.”
The spacecraft, comparable in size to a large shed, is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida around mid-January, taking around 45 days to reach the moon.
It will land autonomously on shock-absorbing feet and short legs designed to minimize the risk of tipping over, a fate experienced by Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C spacecraft in the moon’s south pole region last February.
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The Nova-C spacecraft toppled over. Pic: Intuitive Machines
Mission to Investigate Lunar Dust
Several technology demonstrations will focus on managing lunar regolith, or dust.
A device called ‘PlanetVac’ will be utilized to vacuum and analyze lunar samples, while a test will be conducted on an electromagnetic dust shield to ascertain its efficacy in protecting sensitive instruments.
NASA program scientist Ryan Watkins remarked: “The moon is a notably dusty environment. As we develop technologies for the lunar surface, it’s imperative to gain a deeper understanding of regolith.”
“Lunar dust has the potential to impact mechanical systems and human health, making it essential to understand how to mitigate its effects.”
Capturing a Lunar Sunset in High Definition
The Blue Ghost will function on the lunar surface for 14 days.
One of its concluding tasks will involve recording a high-definition video of a lunar sunset.
This is expected to yield the first high-quality imagery of the lunar glow, a phenomenon caused by dust particles suspended a few centimeters above the surface.
Mr. Kim stated that the video would serve as a meaningful homage to the last person to walk on the moon, who sketched what he observed as the light faded.
“We aim to capture a phenomenon witnessed and recorded by Eugene Cernan during his final moments on Apollo 17, where he noted a glow as lunar dust floated above the surface,” he explained.
