Stunning Footage Reveals the Moon’s Mysterious Hidden Side: A Private Spacecraft’s Journey

A private lunar lander, The Blue Ghost spacecraft, is sending back amazing videos of the Moon’s far side. This side is rarely seen from Earth. Operated by Firefly Aerospace and funded by NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), it’s set for a historic landing in Mare Crisium on March 2.

The far side of the Moon is a fascinating place. Unlike the near side, which has smooth, dark plains, the far side is rugged and full of craters. The footage from Blue Ghost shows this unique terrain in stunning detail.

To capture these images, the spacecraft made a careful orbital adjustment. It fired its engines for over three minutes, dropping into a lower orbit about 120 km above the Moon’s surface. The high-resolution video vividly contrasts the cratered landscape with the towering lunar highlands, highlighting how different this side of the Moon is from what we see on Earth.

As it orbits, Blue Ghost is gradually moving closer to the surface. The lander is carrying 10 scientific and technological payloads to explore various aspects of the Moon. Researchers are particularly focused on studying the Moon’s electric and magnetic fields. Special instruments on board will create detailed maps of these forces. One of the key experiments will capture X-ray images of Earth’s magnetosphere, helping us understand how the Moon interacts with space weather from Earth.

This mission also tests new lunar technologies. The lander will assess how well radiation-resistant computing systems work in deep space. It will also evaluate techniques to manage lunar dust, which is crucial for future manned missions. Additionally, it will experiment with ways to collect regolith, or lunar soil, which is vital for future resource extraction projects.

Blue Ghost will touch down in Mare Crisium, chosen for its smooth surface and scientific importance, on March 2. The lander is expected to operate for about 14 days before the harsh cold of lunar night forces it to shut down.

On March 14, Blue Ghost will observe a total eclipse—when Earth blocks the Sun from the Moon. This event offers a chance to study temperature changes on the lunar surface. Just two days later, it will record the lunar sunset, observing how electrically charged dust levitates. Understanding this phenomenon could help with future Moon missions.

This mission is more than about technology; it marks a significant step in NASA’s collaboration with private companies for lunar exploration. Through CLPS, NASA is turning to commercial partners to deliver payloads to the Moon, which helps lower costs and speeds up scientific research.

Firefly Aerospace and other private firms are showing that commercial spaceflight can support deep-space missions, an area once dominated by government agencies.

The discoveries made during this mission will contribute to NASA’s Artemis program. This initiative aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a long-term presence there. The findings will also inform future advancements in developing lunar bases, resource extraction, and exploring beyond Earth’s orbit.