Firefly Aerospace, the company that was once rescued by Ukrainian businessman Max Poliakov is ready to take a new step: to the moon. Its lunar landing module, Blue Ghost, has passed final tests. In December, it should be at Cape Canaveral, and in mid-January to go into space.
Completion of Blue Ghost testing
Firefly Aerospace, known as a provider of integrated space exploration services, has completed the preparation of its Blue Ghost lunar module for a mission to the Moon. All the crucial tests have taken place, and the team is confident it’s ready to go to our planet’s moon.
“With additional time in our schedule, we shipped Blue Ghost back to Firefly’s spacecraft facility in north Austin, Texas, where it has remained until we received the go to ship to the Cape,” said Jana Spruce, vice president of Firefly Aerospace’s spacecraft division. “In the meantime, the Firefly team has utilized this extra time to further conduct mission simulations and prep the team as we get ready to begin our first of many road trips to the Moon.”
During the tests, which took place at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, numerous tests were conducted to simulate the effects of temperature, vacuum, vibration, acoustics, electromagnetic interference and more on the vehicle.
What will happen during the launch
Blue Ghost is expected to begin its journey to the spaceport as early as December. There it will be placed on a Falcon 9 rocket and will wait until the launch window opens. It is expected to happen in mid-January.
The mission will be carried out under the CLPS program. Its idea is to involve private companies as assistants in the implementation of the Artemis program. It involves the delivery of various scientific instruments to the Moon, and cargo with everything NASA lacks resources for.
The journey to the Moon will take 45 days. During it, specialists will conduct additional checks of all systems. And then Blue Ghost will make a landing in Mare Crisium. There are 10 different payloads on board, which are scientific instruments. The operation on the surface will last 60 days.
Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is an American company with a long and complicated history. Founded in Texas, it once almost went bankrupt, but it was saved by Ukrainian businessman Max Poliakov. The engineers were able to create the Alpha ultralight rocket, and since then, they have been able to interest government and non-government organizations.
Firefly Aerospace now has quite a few launch contracts and provides comprehensive space services. The Blue Ghost module has been in development for several years. It is expected that such vehicles will soon fly to the Moon on a regular basis.
Provided by fireflyspace.com
