Firefly Aerospace and Zeno Power Target 2028 Lunar Night Mission

Startups: FLY) and Zeno Power Systems have finalized a commercial payload agreement to integrate a specialized radioisotope heater unit onto a future Blue Ghost lunar lander, a system designed to keep spacecraft operational through the deep freeze of the lunar night. Announced in a press release on August 19, 2026, the mission is targeted for launch no earlier than 2028 and will head to the near side of the Moon.

The integration of Zeno Power’s “Survive-the-Night Package” aims to address a critical capability gap identified by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for sustained lunar exploration and the development of future Moon Base infrastructure.

Overcoming the lunar thermal environment

The lunar day and night cycle presents one of the most severe environmental challenges for spacecraft design. A single lunar night lasts approximately 14 Earth days, during which surface temperatures plummet. Data collected during Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 in 2025 recorded temperatures exceeding 230 degrees Fahrenheit during the lunar day and dropping below -275 degrees Fahrenheit after sunset.

Previous commercial lunar landers have successfully operated using solar power during the lunar day but routinely ceased operations once the sun set and thermal limits were exceeded. The upcoming 2028 mission will operate under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Upon landing, the Blue Ghost spacecraft will utilize solar power to run multiple NASA CLPS payloads for the duration of the lunar day. Once darkness falls, Zeno Power’s payload will take over operations, transmitting data back to Earth throughout the lunar night.

“Firefly is proud to collaborate with innovative companies like Zeno to solve one of the most complex challenges of lunar exploration—surviving the lunar night. Our first Blue Ghost mission gave us firsthand insight into the Moon’s extreme thermal environment, where we measured temperatures ranging from more than 230°F during the lunar day to below -275°F at night. Now we’re looking forward to advancing technologies that can extend missions beyond sunset and support long-duration surface operations required for NASA’s Moon Base initiative and the growing lunar economy.” — Ray Allensworth, Vice President of Spacecraft at Firefly Aerospace

Radioisotope technology and payload specifications

The core of the Survive-the-Night Package is a Radioisotope Heater Unit (RHU) developed by Zeno Power. The system utilizes americium-241, a radioactive isotope that generates passive thermal energy through natural decay. This process provides continuous heat without relying on solar arrays or battery reserves.

According to the press release, the RHU will generate 5 Watts of thermal energy. The complete payload package includes a dedicated platform equipped with structural, communications, electrical power, command and data handling, and thermal management subsystems.

Tyler Bernstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Zeno Power, emphasized the necessity of the technology for future missions.

“Hardware capable of surviving the extreme cold of the lunar night will be essential to enabling sustained operations on the Moon. NASA’s Moon Base Program has identified the need for technologies such as radioisotope power systems to support future lunar exploration, and Zeno is proud to answer that call to demonstrate this capability aboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost mission. As demand for long-duration lunar infrastructure grows, we are building the production capacity to support future commercial and government missions.”

AirPro News analysis

The inability to survive the 14-day lunar night has been a hard ceiling for commercial lunar operations. By integrating americium-241 radioisotope technology, Firefly Aerospace and Zeno Power are targeting a bottleneck that must be resolved before NASA can establish permanent or semi-permanent lunar infrastructure. We view this 2028 demonstration as a critical proving ground. If the Survive-the-Night Package successfully maintains command, data handling, and communications through the -275-degree Fahrenheit freeze, it will validate a scalable thermal management model for future commercial landers, rovers, and stationary habitats. The shift from solar-dependent, single-lunar-day missions to continuous operations is a prerequisite for a viable commercial lunar economy.

Sources: Firefly Aerospace