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Honeybee Robotics, a subsidiary of Blue Origin, contributed two innovative instruments—LISTER and LPV—to Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1, which successfully landed on the Moon in March 2025 as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. These instruments are pivotal in advancing our understanding of the Moon’s thermal properties and developing efficient regolith sampling techniques for future lunar exploration.

LISTER: Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity

LISTER is designed to measure the heat flow from the Moon’s interior, providing insights into the Moon’s thermal evolution and internal structure. By assessing how heat escapes from the lunar interior, scientists can infer details about the Moon’s composition and geological history.

LISTER is a collaborative effort between Honeybee Robotics and Texas Tech University. It employs a sophisticated pneumatic drill capable of penetrating up to 3 meters into the lunar regolith. At every 0.5-meter interval, the drill pauses to deploy a custom-built thermal probe that measures temperature gradients and thermal conductivity at various depths. LISTER weighs approximately 4.3 kilograms.

During its operation on the lunar surface, LISTER successfully drilled into the regolith and collected thermal data at multiple depths. These measurements are crucial for understanding the Moon’s internal heat flow and contribute to models of its thermal and geological evolution. The data also aid in assessing the Moon’s suitability for future human habitation and resource utilization.

LPV: Lunar PlanetVac

LPV is a technology demonstration aimed at efficiently collecting lunar regolith samples. Its success is vital for future missions that require in-situ resource utilization or sample return capabilities.

LPV is installed on one of the Blue Ghost lander’s legs. It utilizes a burst of compressed gas to dislodge and propel regolith particles into a collection chamber. Capable of collecting particles up to 1 centimeter in diameter. Features a tube that transports the collected material to onboard instruments for analysis or storage.

LPV successfully demonstrated its ability to collect and transfer lunar soil samples using its gas-driven mechanism. The efficient and contamination-free sampling process validates LPV’s potential for future missions that aim to analyze or return lunar materials to Earth. Its performance also provides valuable data for refining regolith collection techniques in low-gravity environments.

Blue Ghost Mission 1, which landed in Mare Crisium, carried a total of ten NASA payloads, including LISTER and LPV. The mission operated for a full lunar day (~14 Earth days), during which all instruments performed their designated tasks. The successful deployment and operation of LISTER and LPV not only achieved their scientific objectives but also demonstrated the viability of these technologies for future lunar exploration endeavors. Their contributions are instrumental in paving the way for sustained human presence on the Moon and the development of lunar resources.

Video credit: Blue Origin