Firefly Aerospace wins $13 million NASA JPL subcontract for Mars mission aeroshell

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Firefly Aerospace has secured a $13 million subcontract from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to build the aeroshell for the SkyFall Mars mission, targeted for launch in late 2028. The aeroshell, consisting of a backshell and heatshield, will be developed in Firefly's new Gloworks innovation lab and manufactured at its Rocket Ranch in Texas using advanced carbon composite technologies from its Blue Ghost lunar landers and other vehicles. After rigorous testing, Firefly will deliver the aeroshell to JPL for further environmental testing before integration with the mission's three heritage Mars helicopters. The SkyFall mission aims to deploy these helicopters using a mid-air release technique to capture high-resolution surface imagery and subsurface radar data, scouting for water ice and paving the way for future astronaut missions.

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