BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — An aerospace startup with ties to Florida’s Space Coast was just awarded a major NASA contract.
Firefly Aerospace will take its “Blue Ghost” lander loaded with NASA experiments to the surface of the moon in 2023.
Up until now, Firefly has been focused on getting its first launch off, which is planned to launch out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
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However, Firefly Aerospace is also investing tens of millions of dollars in its business operations at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport, where it will manufacture rockets designed to launch smaller payloads into low-earth orbit.
“They’ll continue on a fundraising drive that will enable them to put their manufacturing facility here and add a pad out here at the Cape,” said Dale Ketchum of Space Florida.
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And now, NASA has awarded Firefly $93.3 million to deliver a suite of ten NASA-sponsored science and technology demonstrations to the moon’s surface. Firefly’s “Blue Ghost” lunar lander will deliver the payloads to the lunar surface in 2023.
Firefly is honored to be awarded a $93.3M contract by NASA to deliver ten NASA-sponsored science and technology payloads to the lunar surface using our Blue Ghost lunar lander!https://t.co/epvsZswOrj
— Firefly Aerospace (@Firefly_Space) February 4, 2021
“Firefly and its teammates are honored to be selected by NASA to deliver these important payloads to the lunar surface, paving the way for human and robotic exploration missions to follow,” said Firefly founder and CEO Dr. Tom Markusic.
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“They are now also a part of the CLPS program which is NASA’s effort to commercialize and grow an industry that will enable the united states to commercialize cislunar space the area on and around the moon,” Ketchum said. “That’s our next big goal, and Firefly is well positioned to get a big piece of that. A lot of that work is going to happen in Florida.”
Firefly could launch its Alpha Rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, as soon as mid-March.
Cox Media Group
