Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 1 lunar lander is integrated with 10 scientific instruments and technology demonstrations that will help pave the way for humanity's return to the Moon.
The testing at Jet Propulsion Laboratory includes vibration, acoustic, thermal vacuum, and electromagnetic interference and compatibility to ensure the lander can survive flight environments during launch, transit and landing on the Moon. This testing follows Firefly's robust testing campaign, including extensive qualification testing on the assembled Blue Ghost structure and each component.
Firefly tested Blue Ghost's shock-absorbing footpads on sand, lunar simulant and concrete to see if it can withstand the lunar surface. The company also built a one-acre moonscape to test hazard avoidance and terrain-relative navigation system on a heavy-lift drone so that the system can identify the safest landing site during descent.
Following final testing, Firefly's Blue Ghost will ship to Cape Canaveral, Florida, ahead of its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket scheduled for Q4 2024. Blue Ghost will then begin its transit to the Moon, including approximately a month in Earth orbit and two weeks in lunar orbit.
Blue Ghost will then land in Mare Crisium, a basin in the northeast quadrant on the Moon's near side, before deploying and operating 10 instruments for a lunar day (14 Earth days) and more than 5 hours into the lunar night.
"Firefly is proud to follow in the footsteps of the Surveyor landers that were tested in the same JPL facilities," said Peter Schumacher, Interim CEO at Firefly Aerospace. "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."
