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Health & Science2h 10m ago

NASA hired Firefly Aerospace to send four 'hopping' drones built by JPL to the Moon in 2028 as part of the 'MoonFall' project.

Moon, lunar south pole

Who
NASA, Firefly Aerospace, CalTech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
What
NASA hired Firefly Aerospace to send four 'hopping' drones built by JPL to the Moon in 2028 as part of the 'MoonFall' project.
When
Sun, 14 Jun 2026 15:30:00 GMT · 2h 10m ago
Where
Moon, lunar south pole ·
Why
The drones will develop the highest-resolution map of the lunar surface, detect potential water ice, and confirm landing sites for future crewed missions.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This collaboration integrates Firefly Aerospace into Project Artemis and aims to advance lunar exploration by providing crucial mapping data for future Moon missions, including Artemis IV. The project has significant PR value for Firefly and positions it for future NASA contracts.

Story chain

3 events in this thread
  1. Currently Reading2h 10m ago
    NASA hired Firefly Aerospace to send four 'hopping' drones built by JPL to the Moon in 2028 as part of the 'MoonFall' project.
  2. Health & Science2h 10m ago
    NASA hired Firefly Aerospace to build a drone aircraft carrier, named Project MoonFall, which will send four hopping drones to the Moon and create the highest-resolution map of the lunar surface ever created.
    Open article
  3. Health & Science2h 10m ago
    NASA announced a novel plan for mapping the Moon's surface involving Firefly Aerospace, launching one of its Elytra Dark spacecraft carrying four hopping drones built by JPL.
    Open article

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