NASA selects Firefly to build Mars aeroshell for Skyfall probe
Technology
NASA has tapped Firefly Aerospace to build a special aeroshell for its 2028 Skyfall mission, its first-ever nuclear-powered probe heading to Mars.
The aeroshell, basically a protective shield, will help the spacecraft survive its fiery entry into the Martian atmosphere.
Skyfall will deploy 3 scouting drones
Firefly is using lessons from its Blue Ghost lunar lander (which nailed a soft moon landing in 2025) to design the new hardware at its Texas facility.
Once built and tested, the gear heads to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The Skyfall mission will even drop three drones mid-descent to scout for water ice and future astronaut landing spots, making this Mars trip both high-tech and pretty exciting for space fans.