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NASAhas released the first ever eminent - definition picture of a sunset on the moon to mark the completion of the Blue Ghost lunar lander ’s initiatory mission to our rocky artificial satellite .
The icon shows a ghostly glow above the cratered lunar horizon .
Lunar sunset captured by the Blue Ghost spacecraft during its final hours.
" These are the first mellow - definition images taken of the sunshine going down and then go into wickedness at the horizon,“Joel Kearns , deputy sheriff associate administrator for exploration at NASA , say in a intelligence briefing on Tuesday ( March 18 ) .
The lunar lander , build and operated in collaboration with commercial space exploration company Firefly Aerospace , refer down on the moon on March 2 . Its mission lasted for 14 days — the equivalent of one lunar day — until its shutdown on Sunday ( March 16 ) . Like most lunar landers , Blue Ghost was not built to stand firm lunar night — the frigid , close to two - week - recollective point when most of the moon ’s visible surface is in shadow , with temperature deteriorate as low asminus 148 degrees Fahrenheit .
As well as capturing arresting picture , the lander take in extensive data on how space weather and other cosmic forces may impact our major planet . " squad are eagerly analyzing their data , and we are extremely excited for the expected scientific finding that will be gained from this mission , " Kearns said in astatementon Tuesday ( March 18 ) .
The Blue Ghost lunar lander launch from NASA ’s Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 15 as part of NASA ’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services ( CLPS ) go-ahead . The lander delivered 10 scientific and technical instruments to the Mare Crisium washstand on the near side ofthe moon , which NASA state is the largest payload a CLPS obstetrical delivery mission has ever impart .
Related : Sunrise on the moon captured by Blue Ghost spacecraft after NASA and Firefly Aerospace announce successful lunar landing place
These instruments admit the deepest robotic planetary subsurface caloric investigation ever made , according to NASA , an go - ray imager to examine the interaction between solar winds and Earth ’s charismatic champaign , and a subsurface probe based on galvanic and magnetic field open of taking measurements at depths of up to 700 sea mile ( 110 kilometer ) .
" The scientific discipline and technology we send to the Moon now helps prepare the mode for future NASA geographic expedition and long - term human presence to prompt the world for generations to come,“Nicky Fox , an associate administrator at NASA , said in astatement .
Blue Ghost capture thousands of other images during its abbreviated missionary work , include alunar sunriseand asolar eclipse by Earthduring last week ’s " blood lunar month " lunar eclipse .
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