Firefly Aerospace to Build Carbon Fiber Aeroshell for NASA’s SkyFall Mars Mission

Updated on July 13, 2026 • 4 min read

Firefly Aerospace has been selected by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to manufacture the composite aeroshell for the SkyFall Mars mission, marking another step in the company’s expanding role in planetary exploration.

Under a US$13 million subcontract, Firefly will design, manufacture, qualify and deliver the aeroshell that will protect NASA’s next-generation Mars helicopters during launch, interplanetary transit and atmospheric entry. The SkyFall mission is currently scheduled for launch in late 2028.

The contract also represents the first award secured through Firefly’s newly established Gloworks innovation laboratory, which focuses on developing advanced space technologies alongside the company’s existing launch vehicle and spacecraft production programs.

Carbon Fiber Aeroshell Will Protect Mars Helicopters

The aeroshell consists of two primary structures—the backshell and heatshield—which together shield the payload from the extreme aerodynamic and thermal environments encountered during launch and Mars atmospheric entry.

Firefly said the structure will be manufactured using carbon fiber composite materials, building on technologies already employed across its Blue Ghost lunar landers, Elytra orbital vehicles, and Alpha and Eclipse launch systems.

Production will take place at the company’s Rocket Ranch manufacturing facility in Briggs, Texas, before the aeroshell undergoes structural qualification and flight acceptance testing.

Following completion, the flight hardware will be delivered to JPL for environmental testing and final integration with the SkyFall helicopter deployment system.

SkyFall Mission Builds on Ingenuity’s Success

NASA’s SkyFall mission expands upon the achievements of the Ingenuity Mars helicopter by deploying three autonomous helicopters rather than a single aircraft.

Instead of landing on a traditional rover platform, the mission will employ a SkyFall Maneuver, releasing the helicopters directly from the descending entry capsule before they independently fly to the Martian surface.

Once deployed, the aircraft will collect high-resolution imagery and subsurface radar measurements to study geological formations and investigate the possible presence of subsurface water ice.

The mission is intended to support future human exploration by improving understanding of Martian terrain and identifying resources that could assist long-duration surface operations.

Composite Structures Are Essential for Planetary Entry Systems

Professor’s Analysis

Planetary entry systems represent one of the most demanding applications for advanced composite materials.

Although thermal protection materials receive much of the attention, the underlying structural aeroshell must simultaneously withstand launch loads, deep-space temperature cycling, aerodynamic forces during atmospheric entry and integration with scientific payloads.

Carbon fiber composites are particularly attractive because they combine high specific stiffness, dimensional stability and low structural weight, allowing engineers to maximize scientific payload while maintaining structural integrity throughout the mission.

Equally important is manufacturing consistency. Spaceflight hardware requires rigorous process control, qualification testing and traceability, as structural failures cannot be repaired after launch. The growing use of composite primary structures across spacecraft and launch vehicles demonstrates how advanced manufacturing has become central to modern space exploration.

Firefly Expands Composite Manufacturing for Future Missions

The SkyFall contract follows several recent developments in Firefly’s space exploration portfolio.

The company is supporting multiple Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions for NASA and recently received another JPL subcontract related to the MoonFall mission, which will deploy autonomous drones near the Moon’s south pole using Firefly’s Elytra spacecraft.

To support increasing mission activity, Firefly has expanded its manufacturing facilities in central Texas, including enlarging its spacecraft production area and cleanroom infrastructure to accommodate higher production rates for lunar landers and orbital vehicles.

For the composites industry, the SkyFall program highlights the continuing importance of carbon fiber structures in enabling lightweight spacecraft capable of operating in some of the most demanding environments encountered in space exploration.