Private US Spacecraft Headed to the Moon Captures a Glorious View of Earth

This photo provided by Firefly Aerospace shows Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander captures the Blue Marble while in Earth orbit on Jan. 23, 2025. Firefly Aerospace via AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—A private U.S. spacecraft bound for the moon has captured stunning images of Earth one week into its flight.

Still circling Earth, Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander fired its thrusters Thursday to put it on a path to reach the moon in over a month. Dubbed Blue Ghost, the spacecraft beamed back photos and video of the Blue Marble, our planet. The Texas company released the images Friday.