Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Aeroshell entry: SkyFall Mars mission.
Image credit: Firefly

NASA’s SkyFall mission to Mars is progressing with selection of a private space firm to manufacture, test, and deliver the project’s critical aeroshell.

Firefly Aerospace has received a $13 million subcontract to provide the aeroshell to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

SkyFall is targeted for launch in late 2028, a mission to deploy three Mars helicopters for gathering science data, and to conduct subsurface mapping and resource prospecting – paving the way for future U.S. crews to be sent to the Red Planet.

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Gloworks lab

NASA’s SkyFall is Firefly’s first award to the group’s new Gloworks innovation lab.

The SkyFall aeroshell is comprised of a backshell and heatshield.

“Firefly will utilize advanced carbon composite technologies from its proven Blue Ghost lunar landers, Elytra orbiters, and Alpha and Eclipse launch vehicles to rapidly produce high-strength, lightweight structures,” explains a company statement.

Illustration shows MoonFall lander deployment.
Image credit: Firefly Aerospace

MoonFall work

Once Firefly delivers the aeroshell to JPL, the hardware will undergo additional environmental testing at JPL’s facilities prior to integration with SkyFall’s helicopters and deployment system.

Based in Cedar Park, Texas, Firefly also recently received a JPL subcontract to deliver four drones above the lunar south pole with its Elytra spacecraft in support of NASA’s MoonFall mission.

In March of 2025, Firefly’s Blue Ghost was the first commercial lunar lander to successfully touch down on the Moon.

Blue Ghost sits on lunar surface – marking the longest commercial operations on the Moon to date.
Image credit: Firefly Aerospace

Firefly is also on tap to deliver four upcoming lunar missions under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

For more information on Firefly, go to:

www.fireflyspace.com