Firefly Aerospace to test lunar nuclear heating in 2028

Firefly Aerospace plans to test a nuclear-powered heating system on the Moon in 2028 during the third Blue Ghost mission. The technology, developed by Zeno Power Systems, is designed to protect spacecraft and sensitive electronic equipment from the extreme cold of the lunar night.

Lunar nights can last approximately 14 Earth days, with temperatures dropping as low as -170°C. While solar panels provide power during the day, they cannot function during the long periods of darkness. The Survive-the-Night package utilizes a five-watt radioisotope heater unit containing americium-241. This material naturally releases continuous thermal energy through radioactive decay, providing a steady heat source independent of sunlight.

This experiment aims to address a major hurdle for long-term lunar exploration, particularly in permanently shadowed regions where solar energy is unavailable. Previous data from the initial Blue Ghost mission in 2025 highlighted the extreme thermal volatility of the lunar environment, where temperatures can swing from over 110°C during the day to lethal lows at night.