NASA awards Firefly Aerospace US$ 144 million contract for accelerated Blue Ghost lunar mission

NASA has awarded Firefly Aerospace a US$ 144 million Commercial Lunar Payload Services contract for a 2028 lunar mission using its Blue Ghost lander. The award supports faster commercial lunar transportation, advances scientific research on the Moon, and reinforces the growing role of private companies in NASA’s long-term lunar exploration strategy.

NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace for a US$ 144 million contract under its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program to deliver three scientific payloads to the Moon's near side in 2028. According to official disclosures, the mission will use the company's Blue Ghost lunar lander and is expected to be designed, manufactured, tested, and prepared for launch in roughly two years, significantly shortening the development schedule compared with its first lunar mission.

The contract represents Firefly Aerospace's sixth confirmed lunar delivery mission and reflects NASA's continued use of commercial providers to transport scientific instruments for lunar exploration. The payloads include equipment to support precision laser measurements, monitor the lunar radiation environment, and study interactions between spacecraft landing plumes and the lunar surface.

Firefly Aerospace is a US-based space and defense technology company that develops launch vehicles, spacecraft, lunar landers, and in-space transportation systems for government and commercial customers. The company is expanding production capacity at its Texas spacecraft facility to support multiple lunar missions.

The award strengthens the commercial lunar economy by encouraging repeatable and faster mission execution while supporting NASA's Artemis-related exploration objectives. It also creates opportunities across aerospace manufacturing, spacecraft supply chains, scientific instrumentation, and advanced space technologies, providing greater visibility for contractors, investors, and organizations participating in the expanding lunar infrastructure market.