Historic mission: a private landing module captured images of the far side of the Moon (photos).

So far, the only private lunar lander that has successfully achieved a soft landing on the Moon is the craft developed by Intuitive Machines. At the same time, the lunar lander from Firefly Aerospace aims to make history as well; it reached the Moon a week ago and is currently orbiting it. If it successfully lands on the Moon, it will become the second private lander in history to do so. The module, named Blue Ghost, captured images of the far side of the Moon while preparing for its surface landing on March 2, as reported by IFLScience.

Currently, the Blue Ghost lander is executing maneuvers to lower its orbit in order to land successfully in the Sea of Crises on March 2. During a recent maneuver, as the module got closer to the Moon, the craft's cameras captured a stunning view of the far side of the Moon from just 120 km away. Firefly Aerospace utilized these new images to create several videos that allow for a virtual flyover of the Moon.

Onboard the Blue Ghost lander are 10 scientific instruments and experiments from NASA, which are designed to help not only better understand the conditions on the Moon but also prepare for future astronaut landings on its surface. Specifically, NASA's instruments will study the thermal flux from the Moon's interior, the electrical and magnetic fields of its crust, and will conduct research on lunar dust.

One of the most intriguing moments of the mission will occur near the end of Blue Ghost's two-week stay on the Moon, coinciding with the lunar day. It is planned that on March 14, the lander's cameras will capture high-resolution images of a total solar eclipse on the Moon, when the Earth completely obscures the Sun.

Additionally, the Blue Ghost cameras are set to record the sunset on the Moon on March 16, marking the beginning of the lunar night. Using the scientific instruments, researchers will be able to gather crucial data on how dust on the Moon is lifted by solar radiation, creating a glow along the lunar horizon. This phenomenon occurs during sunset and was first observed by the astronauts of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

The Blue Ghost lander will only be operational on the Moon for two weeks because it will rely on sufficient sunlight to charge its batteries. This is the duration of a lunar day. When the lunar night arrives, the lander will be able to function for just a few more hours.

While the glow of the lunar horizon is a beautiful phenomenon in itself, the dust that creates it and floats above the Moon's surface can pose challenges for astronauts. It may infiltrate their suits and equipment.