NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Dragonfly Mission
November 25, 2024
Washington, D.C. – NASA has awarded a launch services contract to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) for the agency’s Dragonfly mission, slated to launch in 2027.
The contract, valued at approximately $178 million, includes the launch of the Dragonfly spacecraft on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch is scheduled for May 11, 2027, with an arrival at Titan’s Saturnian moon in April 2034.
Dragonfly is an ambitious mission to study Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. The spacecraft will explore the moon’s surface, atmosphere, and subsurface environment in unprecedented detail, using a rotorcraft lander equipped with a variety of scientific instruments.
“We are excited to partner with SpaceX on this historic mission to Titan,” said Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division. “Dragonfly will revolutionize our understanding of this enigmatic moon and contribute to our search for life beyond Earth.”
The Falcon Heavy is a powerful rocket that has successfully launched several missions for NASA, including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Artemis I moon mission. The rocket’s three cores and 27 Merlin engines will provide the necessary thrust to send Dragonfly on its journey to Titan.
“We are honored to support NASA’s Dragonfly mission,” said Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX. “This is a groundbreaking mission that will push the boundaries of our knowledge about Titan and the outer solar system.”
The Dragonfly spacecraft is currently under development at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. The spacecraft will weigh approximately 570 kilograms (1,250 pounds) and will be powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG).
Dragonfly’s eight rotors will allow it to fly through Titan’s thick atmosphere and explore its diverse landscapes, including methane lakes, dunes, and mountains. The spacecraft will carry a suite of scientific instruments that will study Titan’s surface composition, atmosphere, and potential for habitability.
“Dragonfly is a one-of-a-kind mission that will provide us with a unique perspective on Titan,” said Elizabeth Turtle, Dragonfly mission principal investigator. “We are thrilled to have SpaceX as our launch partner for this extraordinary journey.”
The Dragonfly mission is part of NASA’s New Frontiers program, which funds medium-class robotic missions to explore the solar system. The mission is expected to last for at least two years, with a possibility of extending the mission for additional science observations.
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for Dragonfly Mission
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