Moon-bound delivery mission by Firefly: $177M venture to distribute rovers and sensory equipment at the south pole
Firefly Aerospace's upcoming lunar mission, Blue Ghost Mission 4, is set to take place in 2029. This mission, part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, aims to deliver and operate two rovers and three NASA scientific instruments on the Moon's south pole.
The mission will utilise a dual spacecraft configuration, with the Blue Ghost lunar lander and the Elytra Dark orbital vehicle. The Elytra Dark vehicle will first deploy Blue Ghost into lunar orbit, providing communication relay and continuous lunar imaging through Firefly's Ocula service. Blue Ghost will then land at the lunar south pole, deploy the payloads, and operate them for over 12 days on the surface.
Payloads and Objectives
Five NASA-sponsored payloads will be delivered, including:
- MoonRanger rover - an autonomous microrover with a Neutron Spectrometer System to study hydrogen-bearing volatiles and lunar soil chemistry, developed by NASA Ames, Carnegie Mellon University, and Astrobotic.
- Canadian Space Agency rover
- Laser Ablation Ionization Mass Spectrometer (LIMS)
- Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA)
- Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS)
The mission's objectives include exploring lunar south pole resources such as hydrogen, water ice, and minerals. It also aims to study the radiation and thermal environment affecting future astronauts and infrastructure, provide lunar navigation and surface composition data, and assess the effects of lander plume interaction with the lunar surface during landing.
Contract and Funding
NASA awarded Firefly Aerospace a $176.7 million contract under the CLPS program to conduct this mission.
Elytra Dark Operations
The Elytra Dark vehicle is designed to remain in lunar orbit for more than five years, providing ongoing lunar imaging services via Firefly's Ocula program.
This mission represents a significant step in NASA's Artemis program by deploying multiple rovers and scientific instruments collaboratively to a scientifically important and challenging terrain on the Moon. Firefly Aerospace, with its proven reliability in robotic missions to the Moon, is poised to contribute significantly to lunar exploration and resource utilization.
Firefly Aerospace's CEO, Jason Kim, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to support NASA's lunar missions. The company plans to deploy two additional Elytra Dark vehicles before Mission 4 and invites commercial and government partners to participate in the 2029 mission, with room for additional cargo on both Elytra and Blue Ghost.
[1] NASA (2021). Blue Ghost Mission 4. Retrieved from https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/blue-ghost/index.html
[2] Firefly Aerospace (2021). Blue Ghost Mission 4. Retrieved from https://www.firefly.com/blue-ghost-mission-4/
[3] SpaceNews (2021). Firefly Aerospace Wins $176.7 Million NASA Contract for Moon Mission. Retrieved from https://spacenews.com/firefly-aerospace-wins-176-7-million-nasa-contract-for-moon-mission/
[4] Space.com (2021). Firefly Aerospace Wins NASA Contract for Lunar Payload Service. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/firefly-aerospace-wins-nasa-contract-for-lunar-payload-service.html
- The Blue Ghost Mission 4, a significant step in NASA's Artemis program, is set to receive funding through a $176.7 million contract from NASA, reinforcing the importance of innovation in the aerospace industry.
- The upcoming collaboration between NASA and Firefly Aerospace will involve the deployment of a Canadian Space Agency rover, furthering the advancement of science in the aerospace industry.
- The Elytra Dark vehicle, designed to remain in lunar orbit for over five years, represents an investment in energy resources, as it will provide continuous imaging and communication services via Firefly's Ocula program, contributing to the understanding of the Moon's surface composition and providing valuable data for future exploration.
