With the arrival of the Blue Ghost lander on the moon this weekend, get ready for an influx of stunning new images from our planets natural satellite. The mission, from Firefly Aerospace, touched down in the moons Mare Crisium region yesterday, Sunday March 2, and the company has already shared the first images captured by the lander from its new home.As well as a striking image showing the shadow of the lander on the moons surface, seen above, another image shows the lander on the moon with the Earth visible in the night sky:This image shows the Moons surface, Earth on the horizon, and Blue Ghosts top deck with its solar panel, X-band antenna (left), and LEXI payload (right) in the view. Firefly AerospaceThis also shows two of the landers instruments, the X-band antenna for sending data back to Earth and the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager or LEXI telescope. This instrument will use X-rays to study how solar winds interact with the Earths magnetic field, and is one of several NASA instruments on board the lander.Recommended VideosRegarding the landing, NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro said in a statement: This incredible achievement demonstrates how NASA and American companies are leading the way in space exploration for the benefit of all. We have already learned many lessons and the technological and science demonstrations onboard Fireflys Blue Ghost Mission 1 will improve our ability to not only discover more science, but to ensure the safety of our spacecraft instruments for future human exploration both in the short term and long term.Please enable Javascript to view this contentA further image was also released, showing a top-down view of the surface with the landers thrusters visible as well:The image shows the Moons surface and a top-down view of the landers RCS thrusters (center) with a sun glare on the right side. Firefly AerospaceDeployment of the landers instrument has already begun, and today Firefly announced that the X-band antenna has been fully deployed. Compared to the landers S-band antennae, which are used to send lower quality images, the X-band antenna will allow higher quality images, science data, and even video to be sent back from the surface.The science and technology we send to the Moon now helps prepare the way for future NASA exploration and long-term human presence to inspire the world for generations to come, said Nicky Fox, NASAs associate administrator for science. Were sending these payloads by working with American companies which supports a growing lunar economy.Editors Recommendations