Tag: Blue Ghost
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Firefly Aerospace Acquires Space-ng to Expand Autonomous Spacecraft Capabilities
Firefly Aerospace has acquired AI-powered spacecraft navigation company Space-ng, strengthening its software capabilities for future lunar, orbital and defence missions. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Space-ng will be fully integrated into Firefly, with Space-ng co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Ethan Rublee assuming the newly created role of Chief Engineer of Software, where…
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Impulse Space Raises $500 Million to Expand In-Space Transportation Business
Impulse Space has raised $500 million in a Series D funding round, bringing the company’s total funding to more than $1 billion since its founding five years ago. The California-based company said the new capital will support hiring, expand vehicle development programs and help meet growing demand for in-space transportation services. Growing Demand for Space…
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Space Science in 2026: New lunar explorers, Mars missions, and space telescopes
With many missions on the manifest, the new year promises to be packed with space science. Two interplanetary spacecraft will arrive at their destinations as another Mars window opens in late 2026. Meanwhile, multiple space telescopes have their launch dates set for this year, and the schedule promises an increased cadence for lunar missions. The…
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Firefly advances production of Eclipse and Blue Ghost, announces Ocula imaging service
Firefly Aerospace is continuing to make good progress toward the debut of the company’s next-generation launch vehicle, Eclipse, in partnership with Northrop Grumman. Formerly known as MLV, or Medium Launch Vehicle, Firefly and Northrop Grumman announced the rocket’s new name on May 29. Firefly also announced Ocula, a new commercial lunar imaging service that will…
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Blue Ghost successfully starts lunar surface mission while IM-2 lands sideways
NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program is now seeing more results from the work done by providers to fulfill its task orders in the past few years, though not without challenges. Two robotic lunar landers from different US commercial providers landed on the lunar surface, with one successfully landing upright and starting its mission,…
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Firefly’s picture-perfect Moon landing shows the way for lunar exploration
Firefly Aerospace became the first commercial company to make a picture-perfect landing on the Moon early Sunday, touching down on an ancient basaltic plain, named Mare Crisium, to fulfill a $101 million contract with NASA. The lunar lander, called Blue Ghost, settled onto the Moon’s surface at 2:34 am CST (3:34 am EST; 08:34 UTC). A…
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As it happened: Firefly Aerospace completes first Moon landing with Blue Ghost
Firefly Aerospace accomplished its first attempt at landing on the Moon during the early morning hours of Sunday, March 2. Its robotic Blue Ghost lunar lander touched down on the lunar surface at approximately 3:34 a.m. EST (0834 UTC). Blog updates posted as they happened during the landing event.
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Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander arrives in lunar orbit
While in lunar orbit, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander captured an image of the Moon’s south pole on the far left. Image: Firefly Aerospace A robotic lander from Texas-based Firefly Aerospace is now in orbit around the Moon and going through its final preparations to land in the coming weeks. On Thursday, the company announced that…
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NASA’s CLPS program accelerates as two landers head for the Moon
As NASA focuses on returning humans to the Moon with Artemis, commercial providers are gearing up to deliver cargo to the lunar surface for NASA and other customers. Over a dozen uncrewed lunar missions are scheduled to be launched in the coming years, and more concepts are being developed globally. Two commercial lunar landers are…
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American, Japanese robotic landers share rocket launch to the Moon
Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander pictured atop a bespoke payload canister, which encased ispace’s Resilience lunar lander prior to encapsulation inside SpaceX’s Falcon 9 payload fairings. Image: SpaceX For the first time in lunar exploration, two robotic landers, from two different nations launched to the Moon on one rocket. But despite Texas-based Firefly Aerospace…