Firefly Aerospace Launches Project to Deliver Drones to the Moon
Firefly Aerospace has announced the successful preliminary design review of its spacecraft Elytra as part of NASA's MoonFall mission. Elytra is set to deliver four research drones, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to the Moon's south pole. The drones will search for safe landing sites and resources for future crewed missions. The launch is scheduled for late 2028.
The MoonFall drones, successors to the Mars helicopter Ingenuity, will move using reactive “jumps” since there is no atmosphere on the Moon. Each jump will take about 150 seconds, allowing the drones to cover up to 50 km. During the lunar night, the drones will become stationary stations and will communicate with Earth during the day.
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The review covered Elytra's design, thermal regulation, propulsion system, and control systems. Engineers assessed the plans for qualification tests and tests in conditions simulating space. The engines will guide the spacecraft to the Moon, while navigation will keep it on course.
Illustration of the Elytra spacecraft deploying drones on the Moon.
The company emphasizes that Elytra's design meets mission requirements. The next step is the critical design review (CDR), after which manufacturing can begin.
Exploration for a Lunar Base
The MoonFall mission aims to gather information about the Moon's south pole, which is considered optimal for future expeditions. JPL is developing four drones and leading the mission, NASA is providing the launch vehicle, and Firefly is responsible for the spacecraft that will deliver and deploy the drones.
After launch, Elytra will transition from low Earth orbit to lunar orbit and deploy the drones over the south pole. They will capture high-resolution images of the terrain and study it with other instruments. This data will help identify safe landing sites and map the resources needed for lunar operations.
MoonFall is part of the first phase of NASA's Moon Base program, aimed at establishing a permanent human presence at the Moon's south pole. Firefly plans to prepare the spacecraft for launch by the end of 2028.
