Upcoming Mission
Mission 2 to the Moon
Mission Details
Mission Summary
We’re going back to the Moon! Firefly was awarded two additional NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services task orders to provide payload services in lunar orbit and on the lunar surface in 2026, utilizing a two-stage spacecraft configuration with Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander stacked on an Elytra Dark orbital vehicle. Elytra vehicle will first deploy Blue Ghost and the European Space Agency’s Lunar Pathfinder satellite in lunar orbit. Blue Ghost will then touch down on the far side of the Moon and operate government and commercial payloads for more than 10 days on the surface. Elytra will remain in lunar orbit to provide long-haul communications and enable radio frequency calibration services for NASA’s LuSEE-Night telescope.
Our Payloads
The payloads flying on Blue Ghost Mission 2 will pave the way for a lasting lunar presence by enabling communications for future spacecraft, robots, and human explorers. With payloads from NASA, the European Space Agency, and Australia, this international mission will further provide insights into the geological properties of the Moon and its minerals that can support lunar infrastructure and habitation. The payloads will also measure radio emissions across solar system to unlock insights about the origins of the universe.
European Space Agency; Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
NASA; U.S. Department of Energy
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Fleet Space Technologies
Lunar Pathfinder
European Space Agency; Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
Once deployed in lunar orbit, the Lunar Pathfinder satellite will enable continuous communications services for future polar and far side missions on the Moon without direct line of sight to Earth. The satellite will communicate with spacecraft on the lunar surface and in orbit using S-band and UHF frequencies, then relay those communications to Earth on X-band.
Lunar Surface Electromagnetic Experiment at Night (LuSEE-Night)
NASA; U.S. Department of Energy
Once deployed on the far side, LuSEE-Night will be the first operational radio telescope on the Moon. It will measure low frequency radio emissions (<50 MHz) within the inner solar system and observe the red-shifted 21-cm spectrum remnant from the big-bang. This valuable data will help answer questions about the early history of the universe and how the first stars began to form.
User Terminal (UT)
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Our Blue Ghost lander will also deploy a User Terminal communications system on the Far side of the Moon. The User Terminal will commission the Lunar Pathfinder satellite and institute a new standard for the S-Band Proximity-1 space protocol, providing uninterrupted communications for future lunar exploration.
Seismic Payload for Interplanetary Discovery, Exploration, and Research (SPIDER)
Fleet Space Technologies
Fleet Space’s SPIDER payload is part of the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative that’s aligned with NASA’s Artemis program to support future habitation on the Moon. Upon deployment of the payload, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander will provide ongoing power and communications, enabling SPIDER to capture seismic data from the lunar surface for up to 14 days. This data will offer insights into the geological properties of the lunar subsurface and its mineral profile, such as water ice, that can support lunar infrastructure and further regolith exploration.
Our Ride
Blue Ghost Mission 2 will debut Firefly’s two-stage spacecraft configuration with our Blue Ghost lunar lander stacked on our Elytra Dark orbital vehicle. This unique configuration enables payload deployment and operations in lunar orbit and on the far side of the Moon.
Full Spacecraft Stack
At the top of the stack, NASA’s LuSEE-Night telescope will remain attached to Blue Ghost to measure radio emissions from the lunar surface.
Stacked on Elytra’s dual payload attach fitting (DPAF), Blue Ghost will provide data, power, and thermal resources for multiple payloads upon landing on the far side of the Moon.
Integrated within Elytra’s DPAF, the Lunar Pathfinder satellite will be deployed into lunar orbit to enable communications for future lunar missions.
At the bottom of the stack, Elytra Dark will serve as a transfer vehicle and remain in lunar orbit to provide long-haul communications and calibration services for Blue Ghost and the surface payloads.
Our Destination
Following separation from Firefly’s Elytra vehicle in lunar orbit, our Blue Ghost lander will touch down at the furthest lunar landing site ever achieved on the far side of the Moon. This uniquely “quiet” region is shielded from Earth-born radio frequency noise. The Moon further shields noise from the Sun during the lunar night, making the region perfectly suited to collect valuable data on the cosmic Dark Ages.
Our Destination
Following separation from Firefly’s Elytra vehicle in lunar orbit, our Blue Ghost lander will touch down at the furthest lunar landing site ever achieved on the far side of the Moon. This uniquely “quiet” region is shielded from Earth-born radio frequency noise. The Moon further shields noise from the Sun during the lunar night, making the region perfectly suited to collect valuable data on the cosmic Dark Ages.
Join Our Mission
Blue Ghost Mission 2 still has payload capacity available for additional customers with deployment options and services available in lunar orbit and on the far side of the Moon. Get in touch to learn more about joining our mission.
