Firefly Aerospace has announced a revised launch date for its inaugural lunar lander mission, Blue Ghost 1. Instead of the previously anticipated fourth quarter of 2024, the mission is now set for a six-day launch window in mid-January 2025. This launch, utilizing a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Florida, signifies a shift in the timeline for several commercial lunar missions initially planned for the latter half of 2024.
The updated launch date follows the successful completion of environmental testing at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in October. “Blue Ghost aced environmental testing and proved the lander is performing 100% as expected,” stated Jason Kim, Firefly’s chief executive. “While we know there will be more challenges ahead, I’m confident this team has what it takes to softly touch down on the lunar surface and nail this mission.”
Originally, a fourth-quarter 2024 launch was projected, but specifics remained elusive. Joseph Marlin, chief engineer of Firefly’s Elytra Dark spacecraft, attributed the previous uncertainty to SpaceX’s fluctuating launch schedule at an October 29 Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) meeting. “SpaceX is still sorting out its schedule,” he explained.
Blue Ghost 1, carrying ten NASA payloads under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, represents Firefly's first lunar landing attempt. NASA awarded Firefly a $93.3 million task order in February 2021, with an initial launch projection of 2023. The mission, dubbed “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” is designed for a 60-day duration, involving a 45-day transit to the moon, and a landing near Mons Latreille.
The delay impacts other commercial lunar missions. ispace postponed its Mission 2 lander launch from December to no earlier than January, also utilizing a SpaceX Falcon 9. Similarly, Intuitive Machines shifted its IM-2 mission from December/early January to no earlier than February, again, using a Falcon 9. Firefly and Intuitive Machines are reportedly coordinating to avoid communication interference during their respective landings.