Firefly targets summer launch, unveils plans for lunar delivery service

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  A rendering of Firefly's Genesis Moon lander. [credit: Firefly ]

NASA's Artemis plan to return humans to the surface of the Moon has gotten the lion's share of public attention over the last year, but the space agency's innovative program to deliver material to the surface of the Moon has arguably spurred more commercial activity.

The Commercial Lunar Services Program (or CLPS, which rhymes with chips) has put $2.8 billion on the table for delivery services. Over the next decade, a pool of more than a dozen companies is eligible to bid for contracts to deliver scientific instruments to the surface of the Moon. As an added benefit, NASA is helping to stimulate a cislunar economy.

Tom Markusic, founder of Firefly, said he sees the CLPS program as analogous to NASA's plan in 2006 to stimulate develop of private supply vehicles for the International Space Station. This program provided several hundred million dollars to SpaceX and Orbital Sciences, which resulted in development of the Falcon 9 and Antares launch vehicles, as well as the Cargo Dragon and Cygnus supply ships.

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