NASA is set to launch its third commercial lunar payload (CLPS) mission, Blue Ghost Mission 3, which will investigate the unique composition of the Gruithuisen Domes on the Moon. The mission, scheduled for 2028, will use Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander and Elytra Dark orbital vehicle.
Firefly’s Blue Ghost will deploy a rover at the Gruithuisen Domes, which have never been explored before. The payload will map geologic features, search for water and hydrogen molecules, and demonstrate sample acquisition technologies. This data will help inform future robotic and human exploration on the Moon.
The mission is a collaboration between several universities and NASA centers, including the University of Central Florida, Arizona State University, BAE Systems, Planetary Science Institute, Malin Space Science Systems, Maxar Technologies, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and University of Alabama in Huntsville.
The Blue Ghost Mission 3 rover will be equipped with an infrared camera system and a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer to explore the depths of the Gamma Dome. Firefly’s Elytra Dark orbital vehicle will provide long-haul communications services while the lander delivers data, power, and thermal resources for six NASA payloads.
The mission will touch down in the Gruithuisen Domes near Sinus Viscositatis on the Moon’s near side. This area is considered a geologic mystery due to its unique composition of silica-rich volcanic minerals. The findings of Blue Ghost Mission 3 could indicate the presence of lunar water and hydrogen.
Future missions will benefit from the data collected during this mission, which will help us better understand the history of Earth and other planets in our solar system.
Source: https://fireflyspace.com/missions/blue-ghost-mission-3