Tech Desk 
Jan 14, 2025
The Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1, also known as Ghost Riders in the Sky, is set to launch on January 15, carrying the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA's) science and technology payloads to the Moon.
This mission is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and the Artemis campaign.
The launch will take place at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, utilising a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A.
After the launch, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander will spend around 45 days transit to the Moon before landing on the lunar surface in early March.
The lander will carry out 10 NASA science investigations to expand their understanding of the Moon’s environment.
The science investigations on this mission aim to test and demonstrate various technologies, including lunar subsurface drilling, regolith sample collection, global navigation satellite system capabilities, radiation-tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation methods.
Moreover, the data collected during this mission is expected to provide valuable insights into the impact of space weather and cosmic forces on Earth.
These investigations will also help prepare for future human missions to the lunar surface, as part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration strategy.
