Australian-Backed SPIDER Payload to Fly on Firefly's 2026 Lunar Mission

Australian-Backed SPIDER Payload to Fly on Firefly's 2026 Lunar Mission
by Staff Writers
Cedar Park CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2023

Firefly Aerospace, Inc., a key player in the space transportation sector, has struck a new deal with Fleet Space Technologies to deploy an Australian-developed seismic research payload to the Moon's far side. This mission, slated for 2026, will feature Fleet's Seismic Payload for Interplanetary Discovery, Exploration, and Research (SPIDER) aboard Firefly's Blue Ghost lander.

This collaboration marks a significant step in international lunar exploration efforts. The SPIDER payload, under the auspices of the Australian Space Agency's Moon to Mars initiative, joins NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) payloads, fortifying the global partnership. Firefly's Blue Ghost lander is set to serve as a foundation for future manned and unmanned lunar missions.

Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, expressed the company's readiness to include additional nations in this initiative: "The Firefly team welcomes Fleet Space on our far side lunar mission that will serve as a critical building block for future human and robotic missions to come," he said. "Firefly proudly supports the growing lunar economy across the United States, Europe, and now Australia, and we invite additional Artemis Accords nations to join us as we collectively build a sustainable presence on the Moon."

SPIDER's mission will extend up to two weeks, during which time it will gather valuable seismic data on the Moon's subsurface. This data is expected to shed light on geological structures and resources, such as water ice, which are critical for sustaining long-term lunar operations and further exploration.

Matt Pearson, Co-Founder and Chief Exploration Officer at Fleet Space Technologies, emphasized the importance of this technological endeavor for off-Earth infrastructure. "Any infrastructure built on other worlds will depend on a deep understanding of the in-situ subsurface composition - and we're honored to collaborate with the international community to help unlock critical insights for sustaining human life beyond Earth."

Firefly's mission will not only deliver Fleet's SPIDER payload but also the ESA's Lunar Pathfinder satellite into lunar orbit and NASA's LuSEE-Night radio telescope to the lunar surface, under the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

The mission design features a two-stage spacecraft - the Blue Ghost lander and Firefly's Elytra orbital vehicle - offering a versatile approach to both surface and orbital deliveries. This flexibility is crucial for the expanding international lunar infrastructure.

Progress on Firefly's lunar ambitions is on track, with the preliminary design review for Blue Ghost Mission 2 completed in under six months following the NASA CLPS award. Concurrently, Firefly is nearing the final milestones for its inaugural lunar mission, set for 2024. The company has recently finished the development and assembly of Blue Ghost's structure and fluid systems.

The partnership between Firefly Aerospace and Fleet Space Technologies for the delivery of the SPIDER payload is a testament to the growing collaboration in the space industry. Through such international efforts, the path to sustainable lunar exploration and eventual habitation is steadily becoming clearer.

As space agencies and companies worldwide look to the Moon with increased interest, missions like the one Firefly Aerospace is undertaking in collaboration with Fleet Space Technologies are paving the way for a sustained human presence on the lunar surface. The industry eagerly anticipates the seismic data that SPIDER will provide, which promises to contribute substantially to our knowledge of the Moon's geology and the potential for in-situ resource utilization. This mission underscores the importance of international cooperation in advancing humanity's reach into the cosmos.