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4mo ago

SpaceX to Launch Two Private Lunar Landers on Groundbreaking Missions

Firefly Aerospace and ispace prepare to send robotic landers to separate ancient lunar sites, advancing science and technology for future exploration.

Overview

  • Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander and ispace's Resilience lander are set to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during a six-day window in mid-January 2025.
  • Blue Ghost, under NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, will carry 10 science instruments to Mare Crisium to study lunar regolith, radiation tolerance, and navigation systems.
  • Resilience, operated by Japan's ispace, aims to land on Mare Frigoris with a microrover and payloads focused on water electrolysis, food production, and lunar soil analysis.
  • The two landers will follow different trajectories to the Moon, with Resilience taking a low-energy path that may take up to five months to reach the lunar surface.
  • These missions represent significant steps for commercial lunar exploration, supporting NASA's Artemis program and paving the way for sustained human presence on the Moon.