Aidan Daly
Firefly Aerospace announced that its Blue Ghost lunar lander has arrived at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for pre-launch environmental testing. The company said Monday that the spacecraft’s target launch date for the mission to moon is the fourth quarter of 2024.
Peter Schumacher, Firefly Aerospace’s interim CEO, said, “Firefly is proud to follow in the footsteps of the Surveyor landers that were tested in the same JPL facilities. The extensive environmental testing we’ll complete at JPL combined with the robust testing we’ve already completed in house will further reduce our risk posture and set us up for a successful, soft landing.”
Blue Ghost is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The spacecraft is integrated with ten scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to clear the way for humanity’s return to the moon.
In addition to vibration, acoustic, thermal vacuum and electromagnetic interference, environmental testing includes compatibility testing. The integrated lander must pass the tests to ensure it can withstand various flight environments during launch, transit and landing on the moon.
Firefly did prior testing, including extensive qualification testing on the assembled Blue Ghost structure and all its components. According to Jana Spruce, vice president of spacecraft at Firefly Aerospace, the spacecraft is more than ready for this final test.
After the final testing, Firefly will ship Blue Ghost to Cape Canaveral, Florida. It will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
