March 2 will be a significant day for Firefly Aerospace. It will attempt to land the Blue Ghost spacecraft on the Moon. We tell you about the technical device and the main tasks of the mission, as well as the role Ukraine played in its history.
Earth-to-Moon cargo shipments
It all started in 2018 when NASA launched the CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) program. Its main goal is to attract private companies to the development of the Moon. Under the program, the aerospace administration issues contracts for cargo delivery to the Moon. The company that wins the contract takes care of everything else: from building a decent vehicle and placing NASA cargo on it to finding a launch vehicle.
Firefly Aerospace has been a participant in the CLPS program since its early days. It was once saved from bankruptcy by Ukrainian entrepreneur and philanthropist Max Polyakov. Under his management, it made its debut Alpha rocket launch and also won its first contract under the CLPS program. This took place in February 2021.
Under the terms of the 93-million-dollar contract, Firefly undertook to deliver ten scientific payloads to the Moon. To accomplish this task, the company used a vehicle of its design called Blue Ghost.
Blue Ghost technical device
Blue Ghost has a height of 2 meters and a diameter of 3.5 meters. Its dry mass (excluding fuel) is 469 kg. It is capable of delivering up to 150 kilograms of cargo to the lunar surface. Blue Ghost is powered by three solar panels capable of generating up to 400 watts of power.
The vehicle is equipped with four shock-absorbing legs with wide bases, which should absorb the impact when it touches the lunar surface. This, as well as Blue Ghost’s low center of gravity, should help it avoid the fate of the Odysseus spacecraft built by Intuitive Machines, one of whose supports broke during the moon landing.
The total payload mass on board Blue Ghost is 94 kg. The mission’s scientific program includes studying the regolith and the structure of the lunar interior, experiments to pick up GPS signals on the Moon, determining the exact distance between the Earth and the Moon using a next-generation retroreflector, testing a radiation-resistant computer and measuring the interaction of the Earth’s magnetosphere with the solar wind.
Blue Ghost will also test an experimental electrodynamic dust shield. It is designed to remove lunar dust from the vehicle’s hull. If successful, this technology could make life much easier for future lunar settlers.
Launching and traveling to the Moon
Blue Ghost was launched on January 15, 2025, using a Falcon 9 rocket. It was “accompanied” by the RESILIENCE vehicle, built by the Japanese company ispace. Since they fly to the Moon on different trajectories, after separation from the rocket, their paths diverged.
Source: Firefly Aerospace
Blue Ghost was initially launched into an extended Earth orbit, where it spent nearly a month. Firefly engineers used this time to check the operation of the probe’s main systems, as well as to perform some of the mission’s science tasks. Specifically, they checked the operation of the RadPC radiation-tolerant computer and tested the LMS instrument, which is designed to measure magnetic and electric fields on the Moon. In addition, Blue Ghost took several very spectacular selfies.
In total, during its stay in Earth orbit, Blue Ghost transmitted 13 gigabytes of data back to Earth. The spacecraft then began the next phase of its mission. It performed a maneuver that put it on a flight path to the Moon.
February 14, Blue Ghost entered an intermediate orbit around the Moon. The apparatus “celebrated” these new selfies, and also sent a valentine to Earth. In the following days, in preparation for landing Blue Ghost performed several maneuvers, rounded and lowered the height of its orbit.
Blue Ghost’s landing spot
Blue Ghost’s destination is the Mare Crisium, which is located in the northeastern part of the visible side of the Moon. The spacecraft should land near the Mons Latreille volcanic formation located in the Mare Crisium. It was formed 3 billion years ago as a result of powerful eruptions, during which basaltic lava completely flooded an ancient crater.
If all goes according to plan, Blue Ghost will land on the Moon on March 2 at 8:45 a.m. GMT (3:45 a.m. EST). The landing will be broadcast live on NASA’s website and its social networks, as well as Firefly Aerospace’s YouTube channel.
Blue Ghost is designed for 14 days of operation. On March 14, the apparatus should witness a total solar eclipse (Earth residents, in turn, will see a total lunar eclipse). It is unknown at this time whether Firefly plans to use the craft to take pictures of the eclipse. Since Blue Ghost has no heaters, it is unlikely to survive a cold lunar night.
It should be noted that Firefly Aerospace has two more contracts from NASA, issued under the CLPS program. Missions under them will be launched in 2026 and 2028. The purpose of the first of them will be the placement of a robotic radio telescope on the back side of the Moon. The second mission will study a volcanic formation called Gruithuisen Dome.
