Texas-based Firefly Aerospace is preparing to launch its lunar lander, Blue Ghost, next week as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The mission, set to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on January 15 at 1:11 a.m. EST, will deliver scientific equipment to Mons Latreille, a volcanic feature in the Mare Crisium region of the Moon.
If successful, this will be the second American robotic lunar landing since the Apollo era. Blue Ghost will travel for 45 days before beginning a 14-day operational phase on the lunar surface. The mission follows NASA’s push to involve private companies in its Artemis program to establish a long-term presence on the Moon.
The first CLPS mission by Astrobotic ended in failure last year, while Intuitive Machines achieved partial success, marking the first U.S. lunar landing since 1972. Firefly’s mission represents another step toward developing a sustainable lunar economy.
