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WATCH: Firefly's Blue Ghost lander to carry 10 NASA science investigations: Set to launch Wednesday morning

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Updated  January 14, 2025 10:17pm EST
NASA
FOX 35 Orlando

The Brief

    • Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 is targeting launch early Wednesday morning.
    • NASA plans to send ten instruments aboard Firefly Aerospace's first lunar delivery.
    • The launch is scheduled for 1:11 a.m. Wednesday morning.

ORLANDO, Fla. - NASA’s newest mission to the moon is on deck for liftoff. 

On Wednesday, NASA plans to send a robot lander to the lunar surface. A Texas-based aerospace company won $179 million from NASA to build the technology that’s ready for liftoff. 

The Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 will hitch a ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 10 NASA investigations to the moon's surface.

What is Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost?

What we know: The Blue Ghost is a lunar lander designed to deliver payloads to the moon's surface. 

As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One lander will carry 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the Moon’s near side. Credit: Firefly Aerospace

The lander is a box-shaped structure with four landing legs. It has two decks for equipment and can carry up to 155 kg of payload. Solar panels provide power and can be mounted on the sides or deployed above the top deck, depending on the spacecraft's orientation to the Sun.

What is the purpose of Blue Ghost Mission 1?

What we know: Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 is part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and the Artemis program. NASA plans to send ten instruments aboard Firefly Aerospace's first lunar delivery. 

These science payloads and technology demonstrations aim to enhance our knowledge of the Moon and planetary processes, while laying the groundwork for future crewed missions to the Moon and beyond.

What they're saying:

"We learned so many lessons during the Apollo era and the technological and science demonstrations on board Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 1 will be critical in our ability to not only discover more science, but also to ensure the safety of the spacecraft, instruments and most importantly, the safety of our astronauts", Dr. Nicola Fox, the Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon. 

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"These cutting edge payloads will further our understanding of the moon’s environment and help prepare us for future human missions to the lunar surface," said Nicky Fox who runs NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. 

It will take the Blue Ghost Mission 1 lander 45 days to reach the moon. Scientists want it to land near a volcanic feature on the northeast side of the moon closest to us.

"Every mission and every launch help create greater access to space and help get us one step closer to making life multiplanetary," said Julianna Scheiman who leads the NASA Science Missions Program for SpaceX. 

Blue Ghost Mission 1: The plan

Timeline: Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday, January 15, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Following a 45-day cruise, Blue Ghost is expected to land near Mons Latreille, a volcanic feature within Mare Crisium — a 340-mile-wide (550-kilometer) basin on the Moon’s northeastern side.

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander getting encapsulated in SpaceX’s rocket fairing ahead of the planned liftoff for 1:11 a.m. EST Jan. 15 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: SpaceX

Blue Ghost Mission 1: The launch 

Launch coverage is set to begin at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The launch is scheduled for 1:11 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The aerospace company is situated just outside of Austin, TX and is called Firefly. After liftoff, company engineers will take control of their lander guiding it to the moon.

Some of the 10 science projects on board will study lunar drilling capabilities and try to reduce the impact of lunar dust during landings. Some of the data they’re collecting is also focused on the earth. 

Firefly’s CEO Jason Kim says his company’s robot will showcase, "new insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces affect our planet." 

Those working on the mission say these launches push the United States one step closer to putting humans back on the moon and Mars in the future.

"NASA is investing in commercial delivery services to the moon to enable industry growth and to support long term lunar exploration, helping the United States stay ahead in space innovation," concluded Fox. 

You can watch the launch live at the top of this story or by clicking the link. | WATCH: BLUE GHOST MISSION 1 

The Source: The information in this article comes from NASA's website and the news conference they held on Tuesday afternoon.

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