SpaceMiningData
CompanyUnited StatesActive

Firefly Aerospace

Texas launch and spacecraft company (Nasdaq: FLY since August 2025) whose Blue Ghost Mission 1 landed in Mare Crisium on 2 March 2025 and hosted Honeybee Robotics' Lunar PlanetVac, which collected, transferred and sorted lunar soil (sample collection, not extraction). Its second lunar mission, now set for no earlier than 2027, is to carry Fleet Space's SPIDER seismic payload, which Firefly says will detect water ice deposits.

Targeted

Resources and evidence

Each resource shows the highest step primary sources support. How the ladder works.

ResourceEvidenceMeaning
RegolithTargetedmission aimed at it
Water iceTargetedmission aimed at it

Demonstrated

Carried Honeybee Robotics' Lunar PlanetVac on Blue Ghost Mission 1 (landed 2025-03-02); the payload collected, transferred and sorted lunar soil using pressurized nitrogen. The sampling hardware was Honeybee's; the material was not returned to Earth or processed.

Claimed or planned

Blue Ghost Mission 2 (far side, NET 2027) will deploy Fleet Space's SPIDER seismic payload, which Firefly says will 'detect water ice deposits'.

Facts

Headquarters
United States
Type
Company
Founded
2017
Status
Activeas of 2026-05-26. NASA's 2026-05-26 release states NASA selected Firefly to build the MoonFall drone transport spacecraft; Firefly's mission page lists Blue Ghost Mission 2 as upcoming.
Roles
Lander / transport
Targets
Moon
Also known as
Firefly Aerospace Inc.; Firefly; FLY
Website
fireflyspace.com

Missions

2 records
MissionRoleLaunchPhaseOutcome
Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 1 (Ghost Riders in the Sky)SpacecraftOperator2025-01-15EndedSuccess
Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 2 (Riders 2 the Dark)SpacecraftOperatorPlanned, no earlier than 2027
Date details

Announcement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25.

In developmentNot applicable

Dated events

Amounts are shown one at a time as each source states them. They are never added together.

  1. 2023-12-05

    DARPA selects Helios for the LunA-10 lunar architecture study

    Government awardHeliosWith Firefly Aerospace, Honeybee Robotics, Blue Origin

    DARPA listed Helios among 14 companies selected for its LunA-10 capability study on integrated lunar infrastructure, which DARPA says does not fund hardware construction or transport to the Moon; Firefly Aerospace, Honeybee Robotics and Blue Origin were also selected.

    Sources (2) and evidence gaps
    1. [1]DARPA selects companies for LunA-10 Capability Study (integrated lunar infrastructure framework)
      DARPAGovernment recordPublished 2023-12-05Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: subject ids, date
      DARPA has selected the following companies for LunA-10: Blue Origin CisLunar Industries Crescent Space Services LLC Fibertek, Inc. Firefly Aerospace GITAI Helios Honeybee Robotics ICON
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    2. [2]DARPA selects companies for LunA-10 Capability Study (integrated lunar infrastructure framework)
      DARPAGovernment recordPublished 2023-12-05Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary
      LunA-10 will not fund technology construction, transportation to the lunar surface, or integration with lunar delivery vehicles
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    • Award value per performer not stated.

Open evidence gaps

  • IPO final proceeds (including any over-allotment exercise) not confirmed from an SEC filing (EDGAR refused raw fetches).

Sources

6 sources
  1. [1]Blue Ghost Mission 1: Live Updates
    Firefly AerospaceCompany statementPublished 2025-03Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: resource activity demonstrated, resources
    Lunar PlanetVac for example successfully collected, transferred, and sorted lunar soil from the Moon using pressurized nitrogen gas.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  2. [2]Firefly Aerospace Announces Agreement with Fleet Space to Deliver Seismic Payload to Far Side of the Moon
    Firefly AerospaceCompany statementPublished 2023-11-08Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: resource activity claimed, resources
    Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander will deploy Fleet Space's SPIDER payload to detect water ice deposits and examine the mineral profile of the lunar subsurface
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  3. [3]Blue Ghost + Elytra: Lunar Far Side (mission page)
    Firefly AerospaceCompany statementAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: resource activity claimed, status
    Set to launch no earlier than 2027, the mission will deliver six international payloads
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  4. [4]Firefly Aerospace Announces Pricing of Upsized Initial Public Offering
    Firefly AerospaceCompany statementPublished 2025-08-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: aliases
    The shares are expected to begin trading on Nasdaq Global Market on August 7, 2025 under the ticker symbol "FLY,"
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  5. [5]Firefly Aerospace Announces Pricing of Upsized Initial Public Offering
    Firefly AerospaceCompany statementPublished 2025-08-06Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: founded year, headquarters country
    Established in 2017, Firefly's engineering, manufacturing, and test facilities are co-located in central Texas
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  6. [6]NASA Provides Update on Moon Base Rovers, Landers, Missions (release 26-046)
    NASAGovernment recordPublished 2026-05-26Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: status
    has selected Firefly Aerospace to build the spacecraft that will transport the drones from Earth orbit to the Moon
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.