Firefly’s new large private lunar module will head to the moon in a week – Space – Science and technology

The Blue Ghost private module is two meters high, circular in shape and 3.5 meters in diameter. It will transport equipment for ten scientific research projects to the lunar surface.

The module will fly to the moon for 45 days, the next 14 days it will work on its surface.

Private space agency Firefly Aerospace has just announced that it plans to launch its new lunar module into lunar orbit as early as next week (probably January 15). Firefly became best known for developing medium-lift rocket launchers for launching small to medium-sized satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO).

The company will send the Blue Ghost lander to the moon. The module is two meters high, circular in shape and 3.5 meters in diameter. It is to deliver equipment for ten scientific research projects and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface.

Firefly Aerospace’s new lunar module is designed to focus primarily on exploring the lunar surface and supporting science experiments. It is already known that, in addition to basic measuring devices, it will be equipped with high-end sensors designed to study the mineralogical composition of lunar rock.

The planned landing place is the volcanic mountain Mons Latreille located in the Sea of ​​Troubles (Mare Crisium). The probe will fly to the moon for 45 days, the next 14 days it should work on its surface.

Current information is that Firefly Aerospace’s Lunar Module launch vehicle will lift off from Florida – possibly Cape Canaveral Space Force Station – early next week. It will use the Space X Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

The launch itself will, like other important missions, be broadcast live via the Internet. After successfully reaching low Earth orbit, a special stage should be ignited to guide the module on a trajectory towards the Moon. In the next phase, the module should enter the orbit of the moon, stay there and prepare for landing.

The exact time of the landing has not yet been announced, but Firefly Aerospace engineers estimate that it could take place in late February or early March.

Experts in space research emphasize the importance of this step for the entire market of commercial flights to near and intermediate space. Until now, most lunar programs and missions have been focused primarily on national agencies such as NASA, Roskosmos, ESA or the China National Space Agency (CNSA), the trend in recent years shows that more and more private companies dare to undertake challenging missions to the Moon.

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has signed a $93 million contract with Firefly Aerospace as part of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. This is part of a broader effort to build an ecosystem of private companies within the Artemis program that will enable various payloads to be transported to the Moon and a permanent presence on this body.

Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic Technology’s first CLPS mission failed in January, with the probe burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. The second was only partially successful – the Odysseus module of the private American company Intuitive Machines (IM) performed the so-called soft landing on the lunar surface, however, the module tilted after one of its legs broke during the landing. The module’s solar panels were thus unable to obtain enough energy to power the electronics, but the module nevertheless successfully completed several tests and sent the results back to Earth along with photographs.