HAWTHORNE, Calif. — SpaceX has found itself with another contract on its plate with Firefly Aerospace Inc. announcing it has selected the commercial space company to launch its lunar lander in 2023.
The Texas-based company's Blue Ghost lander is set to carry 10 payloads for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order 19D mission.
"Firefly is excited to fly our Blue Ghost spacecraft on the highly reliable Falcon 9, which will deliver NASA instruments and technology demonstration payloads that support NASA science goals and NASA’s Artemis program," said Firefly Senior Vice President of Spacecraft Shea Ferring said, in part.
SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket will work to propel Blue Ghost onto the first phase of its journey to the Moon before heading back down to Earth for an autonomous droneship landing.
Tom Ochinero, SpaceX vice president of commercial sales, said the company is honored to have been selected to play a role in helping Firefly deliver payloads that look to support scientific lunar research.
Firefly is currently preparing for the inaugural launch of its Alpha rocket after, thanks to the help of investors, being valued at more than $1 billion in May.
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