Big things are happening on the Space Coast.But one mission isn’t getting as much attention as putting humans back on the Moon.Blue Ghost One will travel several days to the moon, orbit several times, and then eventually land on the surface. NASA awards $179 million Contract to Firefly Aerospace for lunar missionNASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $179 million contract to send science and technology instruments to the lunar surface as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The contract will support NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon.Several Firefly missions will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, each designed to contribute to humanity’s long-term presence on the Moon. These missions will deliver scientific payloads that will aid in the exploration and understanding of the lunar surface. Blue Ghost: A mission to the MoonThe first mission, called Blue Ghost One, will travel to the Moon over several days, orbiting the lunar surface before landing. The spacecraft will utilize advanced “obstacle avoidance technology” to land safely in an area on the northeastern side of the Moon, facing Earth. Once landed, Blue Ghost will deploy 10 scientific instruments to assist NASA in its research.The instruments will collect soil samples, record radio-wave sounds, drill for temperature readings, and capture lunar dusk imagery. Notably, Blue Ghost will also document the first-ever lunar sunset, offering new insights into the Moon’s environment. The mission’s high-definition camera equipment is expected to continue functioning even during the extreme cold of the lunar night.Supporting long-term lunar explorationThe goal of the mission is to help NASA better prepare for human missions to the Moon, particularly for long-term stays. The research gathered will contribute to understanding the Moon’s surface and environmental conditions, which is essential for future lunar exploration.“This mission represents years of development and testing to ensure the spacecraft’s success,” said Ray Allensworth, Firefly’s Spacecraft Program Director. “You kind of see these different phases of the vehicle from birth all the way through landing on the Moon.”Kevin Scholtes, an engineer at Firefly, explained the rigorous process: “Over the course of a few years, we go from concept development to testing, integration, and environmental testing to ensure everything works perfectly before we put it on the rocket.”A confident step forwardIn a statement to WESH 2 News, Firefly CEO Jason Kim expressed confidence in the success of the mission. “Blue Ghost aced environmental testing and proved the lander is performing 100% as expected,” Kim said. “While we know there will be more challenges ahead, I’m confident this team has what it takes to softly touch down on the lunar surface and nail this mission.”The Blue Ghost One spacecraft is projected to launch in mid-January 2024 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission will spend 14 Earth days on the Moon’s surface.Looking AheadFirefly’s second lunar mission is planned for 2026, utilizing a similar two-stage spacecraft. Based in Texas, the aerospace company hopes that successful missions will pave the way for larger projects in the future, expanding its role in lunar exploration and beyond.Based in Texas, the relatively new aerospace company hopes the success of it’s first lunar mission will propel the company to even bigger projects to help build a lunar economy.
Big things are happening on the Space Coast.
But one mission isn’t getting as much attention as putting humans back on the Moon.
Blue Ghost One will travel several days to the moon, orbit several times, and then eventually land on the surface.
NASA awards $179 million Contract to Firefly Aerospace for lunar mission
NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a $179 million contract to send science and technology instruments to the lunar surface as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The contract will support NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon.
Several Firefly missions will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, each designed to contribute to humanity’s long-term presence on the Moon. These missions will deliver scientific payloads that will aid in the exploration and understanding of the lunar surface.
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Blue Ghost: A mission to the Moon
The first mission, called Blue Ghost One, will travel to the Moon over several days, orbiting the lunar surface before landing. The spacecraft will utilize advanced “obstacle avoidance technology” to land safely in an area on the northeastern side of the Moon, facing Earth. Once landed, Blue Ghost will deploy 10 scientific instruments to assist NASA in its research.
The instruments will collect soil samples, record radio-wave sounds, drill for temperature readings, and capture lunar dusk imagery. Notably, Blue Ghost will also document the first-ever lunar sunset, offering new insights into the Moon’s environment. The mission’s high-definition camera equipment is expected to continue functioning even during the extreme cold of the lunar night.
Supporting long-term lunar exploration
The goal of the mission is to help NASA better prepare for human missions to the Moon, particularly for long-term stays. The research gathered will contribute to understanding the Moon’s surface and environmental conditions, which is essential for future lunar exploration.
“This mission represents years of development and testing to ensure the spacecraft’s success,” said Ray Allensworth, Firefly’s Spacecraft Program Director. “You kind of see these different phases of the vehicle from birth all the way through landing on the Moon.”
Kevin Scholtes, an engineer at Firefly, explained the rigorous process: “Over the course of a few years, we go from concept development to testing, integration, and environmental testing to ensure everything works perfectly before we put it on the rocket.”
A confident step forward
In a statement to WESH 2 News, Firefly CEO Jason Kim expressed confidence in the success of the mission. “Blue Ghost aced environmental testing and proved the lander is performing 100% as expected,” Kim said. “While we know there will be more challenges ahead, I’m confident this team has what it takes to softly touch down on the lunar surface and nail this mission.”
The Blue Ghost One spacecraft is projected to launch in mid-January 2024 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission will spend 14 Earth days on the Moon’s surface.
Looking Ahead
Firefly’s second lunar mission is planned for 2026, utilizing a similar two-stage spacecraft. Based in Texas, the aerospace company hopes that successful missions will pave the way for larger projects in the future, expanding its role in lunar exploration and beyond.
Based in Texas, the relatively new aerospace company hopes the success of it’s first lunar mission will propel the company to even bigger projects to help build a lunar economy.