Firefly Aerospace Secures $179M NASA Contract for a 2028 Lunar Mission

Firefly Aerospace has been awarded a $179.6 million contract by NASA to deliver six scientific instruments to the Gruithuisen Domes on the Moon’s near side. This mission, part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, is scheduled for 2028 and will employ Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander, Elytra Dark orbital transfer vehicle, and a rover supplied by an industry partner.

The Gruithuisen Domes, a geologically unique region of the Moon, will be explored for the first time to uncover their composition and investigate potential signs of lunar water and hydrogen.

Mission overview

Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 3 will feature an innovative multi-stage spacecraft configuration. The Elytra Dark transfer vehicle will deploy the Blue Ghost lunar lander into orbit and remain in orbit to provide communications support.

Once on the lunar surface, the Blue Ghost lander will deploy a rover and facilitate payload operations for over 14 days. Firefly’s Chief Executive Officer, Jason Kim, commented, “This incredible team gained a hard-earned reputation for smooth payload integrations, well-rehearsed operations, and robust testing and transparency throughout Blue Ghost Mission 1 preparations.”

The six NASA instruments on board will conduct various scientific investigations:

1. Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) – A suite of instruments designed to analyze rocks and regolith on the Gruithuisen Domes to determine their origin and understand geological processes on early planetary bodies.
2. Heimdall – A camera system that will capture images of the landing site, aiding in geological analysis and mission documentation.
3. Sample Acquisition, Morphology Filtering, and Probing of Lunar Regolith (SAMPLR) – A robotic arm capable of collecting and filtering lunar regolith samples, utilizing technology adapted from the Mars Exploration Rover project.
4. Low-frequency Radio Observations from the Near Side Lunar Surface (ROLSES) – A radio telescope designed to study the Moon’s surface environment and detect interference caused by natural or human activities.
5. Photovoltaic Investigation on the Lunar Surface (PILS) – An experiment to test new solar cells for power generation and to collect data on the Moon’s electrical charging environment.
6. Neutron Measurements at the Lunar Surface (NMLS) – A neutron spectrometer to characterize the surface radiation environment, monitor hydrogen, and determine elemental composition.

Scientific objectives

The Gruithuisen Domes are of particular interest to scientists due to their suspected silica-rich volcanic composition, akin to granite on Earth. Unlike Earth, the Moon lacks plate tectonics and large bodies of water, which are typically necessary for the formation of such rocks. This raises questions about the processes that formed the domes and their evolution over time.

“Understanding the formation of the Gruithuisen Domes, as well as the ancient lava flows surrounding the landing site, will help the U.S. answer important questions about the lunar surface,” said Joel Kearns, Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration at NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

In addition to the geological studies, the mission aims to pave the way for future human exploration and the establishment of a sustainable lunar presence. Brett Alexander, Chief Revenue Officer at Firefly Aerospace, highlighted the broader implications of the mission: “We’re seeing growing interest from organizations looking to unlock the Moon’s resources and build a robust lunar ecosystem.”

The role of CLPS

NASA’s CLPS initiative, a cornerstone of the Artemis program, leverages commercial partnerships to deliver scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon.

By utilizing private companies like Firefly Aerospace, NASA aims to advance lunar science and technology while fostering a growing lunar economy. Through CLPS, the U.S. space agency is preparing for future human missions to the Moon as part of its broader Moon to Mars exploration strategy.

“Firefly will deliver six instruments to understand the landing site and surrounding vicinity,” said Chris Culbert, manager of the CLPS initiative at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “These instruments will study geologic processes and lunar regolith, test solar cells, and characterize the neutron radiation environment, supplying invaluable information as NASA works to establish a long-term presence on the Moon.”

Firefly Aerospace’s Lunar ambitions

This mission marks Firefly’s fourth CLPS task order. The company’s first lunar mission, Ghost Riders in the Sky, is scheduled to launch in January 2025 and will deliver ten NASA payloads to Mare Crisium on the Moon’s near side.

A second mission in 2026 will deploy payloads to the far side of the Moon and lunar orbit. For the 2028 mission to the Gruithuisen Domes, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander and Elytra Dark transfer vehicle hopes to demonstrate again the company’s capacity to support complex lunar operations.

In addition to the NASA payloads, Firefly’s 2028 mission has capacity for additional customers. The company offers orbital transfer, communications, and lunar surface delivery services, providing opportunities for commercial and government clients to participate in lunar science and exploration.