Firefly Aerospace secured a $176.7 million NASA contract to deliver five payloads to the Moon’s South Pole in 2029 via its Elytra Dark orbital vehicle and Blue Ghost lunar lander.

The mission, Blue Ghost 4, will deploy two rovers and three instruments to study lunar resources, radiation, and thermal conditions, supporting future human exploration.

This marks NASA’s continued shift toward partnering with private companies to accelerate lunar missions, Reuters has reported.

Firefly’s first Blue Ghost mission successfully landed on the Moon in March, and the company is preparing for a U.S. IPO amid rising investor interest in commercial space.

Written by B.C. Begley