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4mon ago

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Blue Ghost Mission 1 will send the first U.S. lander to Mare Crisium

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Blue Ghost will be the first U.S. mission to Mare Crisium - the Sea of Crises - a low basalt plain embayed by rugged mountains.

Carved by a colossal impact some 3.9 billion years ago , the 460-mile -wide ( 740 kilometers ) mare appears largely flat and featureless.

The lander will carry 10 science instruments and technology tests as part of NASA 's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.

Blue Ghost landed at 2.2 mph ( 3.5 km /h), contact sensors in the footpads will signal touchdown.

For 14 days , Blue Ghost's instruments will scour their environs and test technologies that may benefit future human explorers.

Mission 2 also debuts Firefly 's Elytra Dark transfer vehicle, which will release Europe 's Lunar Pathfinder satellite for the lander.