Firefly Aerospace selected SpaceX to launch its first lunar lander mission for NASA

 In a recent announcement, Firefly Aerospace has stated that it has selected SpaceX to launch its first lunar lander mission for NASA. It also has said that it will be using the most renowned SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch its Blue Ghost lunar lander which is on a mission to land in Mare Crisium on the near side of the moon. Falcon 9 will be carrying 10 payloads for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program.

Besides, Firefly is also developing its own launch vehicle, Alpha, and its first launch is expected in the coming weeks. But the rocket is not powerful enough to take Blue Ghost to the moon. Thereby it the company had to purchase a launch from another launch provider. The company is now working on the lander, including testing the lander on a one-acre simulated lunar landscape at its Briggs, Texas, test site.

The company's lander is developing a spacecraft and orbital tugs for an overall space transportation system and for loading crucial missiles. It is the first contract that validated an end-to-end space transportation paradigm to put forward at Firefly. Blue Ghost has already energized the spacecraft side of the business.