Jason 3 pre-launch news conference

The successful touchdown marks the beginning of a planned 14-day mission on the lunar surface. The Blue Ghost lander is designed to power down after operating for a few hours into the lunar nighttime, which begins on March 16.

Picking up where they left off last week, two space station astronauts ventured back outside the outpost Wednesday to continue the replacement of aging batteries in the lab’s solar power system. Two more spacewalks later this month should complete the multi-year project.

SpaceX’s new Falcon Heavy rocket successfully soared into orbit Tuesday, and its two strap-on boosters came back to Cape Canaveral for an electrifying double-landing punctuated by quadruple sonic booms.