Survive-the-Night Package
A small lunar payload with a 5-watt americium-241 heater that keeps electronics warm through the lunar night. It is set to fly on a Firefly Blue Ghost lander no earlier than 2028.
Why it matters
The three U.S. commercial landers that reached the Moon in 2024 and 2025 all stopped working within two weeks because they could not survive the lunar night. A heat source that needs no sunlight is a step toward Moon hardware that runs for years.
How the technology works
A radioisotope heater unit gives off about 5 watts of heat from the natural decay of americium-241. It sits on a platform with its own power, communications, computer and thermal control.
The lander runs on solar power during the lunar day, then Zeno's package operates through the night and sends data home.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction