NASA is planning to land its Blue Ghost lunar lander on the Moon as part of its Firefly Aerospace programme, and the vessel is carrying a suite of NASA’s technologies on board.
Blue Ghost is set to touch down near Mare Crisium, a plain in the northeast quadrant on the side of the Moon closest to Earth.
This latest mission is part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence.
In February 2021, the space agency awarded Firefly the delivery of 10 NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations to the Moon using its American-designed and manufactured lunar lander for approximately US$93.3m (modified to US$101.5m).
Blue Ghost was launched on 15 January at 1:11 a.m. EST on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It is set to land on 2 March.
The lander is carrying a suite of 10 NASA scientific investigations and technology demonstrations, which will provide insights into the Moon’s environment and test technologies to support future astronauts landing safely on the lunar surface, as well as on Mars.
Through NASA’s Artemis campaign, commercial robotic deliveries will perform scientific experiments, test technologies, and show its capabilities on and around the Moon to advance Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface.
Join more than 11,000 industry leaders at Robotics and Automation Exhibition on 25-26 March 2025, at the NEC Birmingham to explore cutting-edge technologies, connect with peers and discover the latest innovations shaping the future of warehousing, manufacturing, engineering and logistics. Register for free now to secure your place at this premier event!
