// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
End of Mission
The official conclusion of a space mission, which can occur due to successful completion of objectives, spacecraft failure, or planned deactivation.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
End of Mission (EOM) signifies the formal termination of a space mission's operational phase, which may result from successful completion of primary objectives, depletion of consumables, system failure, planned deorbiting, or transition to an extended mission phase.
BACKGROUND
Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost, or simply Blue Ghost, is a class of lunar landers designed and manufactured by the American company Firefly Aerospace. Firefly builds and operates Blue Ghost landers to deliver small payloads to the surface of the Moon. The first Blue Ghost mission was launched in January, 2025. It successfully landed on the Moon on March 2, 2025. The landers are named after the firefly species Phausis reticulata, known as blue ghosts.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Mission conclusion
- Decommissioning
- Mission termination
- Final phase
USAGE NOTE
The spacecraft entered its end of mission phase after successfully completing its primary scientific goals.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to End of Mission.
A company specializing in on-orbit servicing and active debris removal (ADR), developing spacecraft like ELSA-d to rendezvous with, capture, and de-orbit defunct satellites and other space debris.
Selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the first-ever active debris removal mission, ClearSpace-1. The company is developing robotic spacecraft to capture and safely de-orbit space junk.
A Northrop Grumman company that provides in-orbit satellite servicing. Its Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) docks with aging satellites to provide propulsion and attitude control, extending their mission life for several years.
A space logistics company that offers a deployment service for satellites which includes a rapid decommissioning solution. Their ION Satellite Carrier can deploy customer satellites and then perform a final propulsive maneuver to de-orbit itself at mission conclusion.
A manufacturer of small satellites that integrates end-of-life technologies, such as deployable drag sails and dedicated de-orbit propulsion systems, into its platforms to ensure compliance with space debris mitigation guidelines.
Developer of the Terminator Tape, a small device attached to a satellite that deploys a long tape at the end of its mission. The tape creates significant atmospheric drag, causing the satellite to de-orbit and burn up much faster than it would naturally.
Focused on creating an in-space refueling infrastructure. By developing 'Gas Stations in Space' with standardized refueling ports, they enable satellites to be refueled, extending their operational lives and preventing premature end-of-mission due to fuel depletion.
An on-orbit servicing and space logistics company developing a fleet of serviceable spacecraft. Their platforms are designed for missions like debris removal, satellite life extension, and relocation, directly addressing end-of-mission challenges.