Texas-based rocket and spacecraft manufacturer Firefly Aerospace is making its way to the Moon. Firefly’s “Blue Ghost” cargo lander launched early Wednesday morning aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Florida, beginning its 45-day journey to the lunar surface.
This marks Firefly’s inaugural moon mission as the company seeks to establish itself in the growing NASA-led lunar services market.
“We’re now fully focused on execution as we look to complete our on-orbit operations, softly touch down on the lunar surface, and pave the way for humanity’s return to the Moon,” Firefly CEO Jason Kim said in a statement following the successful launch.
Primarily recognized for its Alpha rockets, which are used to send satellites into orbit, Firefly has recently expanded its operations to include the development of lunar landers and space tugs.
Blue Ghost Mission Details
The nearly 7-foot-tall Blue Ghost lander, named after a rare firefly species native to the United States, is carrying 10 government and commercial payloads under a $101 million contract with NASA.
The mission, dubbed “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” is the third undertaken as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. This initiative is designed to deliver scientific projects and cargo to the Moon on a regular basis in support of the Artemis crewed missions.
Two previous CLPS missions, conducted by Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines last year, faced challenges: Astrobotic’s mission fell short, while Intuitive Machines’ lander tipped over but managed to survive the landing.
Mission Progress and Milestones
Firefly outlined 17 key milestones for the Blue Ghost mission, with the final objective being a successful lunar landing. As of now, the company has confirmed that five milestones have been completed, including launch stages and initial spacecraft testing in orbit.
The Blue Ghost lander is expected to touch down on March 2, targeting Mare Crisium, a lunar basin on the Moon’s near side. After landing, the company plans to operate the lander for the duration of one lunar day, approximately 14 Earth days, with additional operations extending a few hours into the lunar night.
Dual Lunar Landers and Future Missions
Wednesday’s SpaceX launch featured not just one but two lunar landers. Alongside Firefly’s Blue Ghost, Japanese company ispace launched its second moon mission.
This follows ispace’s first attempt in 2023, which ended in a crash landing. While Firefly’s Blue Ghost was the primary payload, ispace leveraged a “rideshare” agreement with SpaceX to hitch a ride for its mission.
The lunar services sector is heating up, with NASA anticipating up to five U.S. companies launching lunar landing missions throughout 2025. Firefly’s mission represents a significant step forward in the broader effort to establish a regular cadence of lunar exploration.