Blue Origin Unveils Mockup of Blue Moon Lunar Lander for NASA’s Artemis Program
Blue Origin has revealed a full-sized mockup of its Blue Moon lunar lander, an uncrewed version that will test technologies for the crewed version being developed for NASA’s Artemis program. The company showcased the Blue Moon Mark 1 mockup in images posted on social media. Located at an engine manufacturing facility in Huntsville, Alabama, the lander is designed to deliver three tons of cargo to the lunar surface. The first flight of the Blue Moon Mark 1, known as the “Pathfinder Mission,” will test critical systems including the BE-7 engine and precision landing capabilities. Blue Origin is one of 14 companies selected by NASA for its Commercial Lunar Payload Services program.
Future versions of the Blue Moon lander, starting with the Blue Moon Mark 2, will be available to carry customer payloads. The company did not provide specific launch dates for the Pathfinder Mission or future Blue Moon missions. However, during a panel discussion, Ben Cichy, Senior Director of Engineering of Lunar Permanence at Blue Origin, mentioned that two Mark 1 lunar pathfinder landers will fly on early flights of the company’s New Glenn rocket.
John Couluris, Senior Vice President of Lunar Transportation at Blue Origin, noted that the Mark 1 lander is part of a series that includes the Mark 2 lander intended for crewed missions. NASA selected Blue Origin’s Mark 2 lander, along with SpaceX’s Starship, as part of its Human Landing System program. Couluris emphasized that Blue Origin is developing a terrain relative navigation system using lidar to ensure precision landings within 100 meters of the designated location.
The announcement from Blue Origin coincided with a social media post by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, who visited the Blue Moon mockup with Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos. Nelson stated that the Blue Moon lander will contribute to a continuous presence of astronauts on the Moon before missions to Mars.
In related news, SpaceX provided an update on the progress of its Starship lunar lander. Benji Reed, Senior Director of Human Spaceflight Programs at SpaceX, highlighted the company’s focus on developing guidance, navigation, and control technologies, as well as thermal control and power generation systems for the Starship lander. SpaceX’s Starship will be used for the Artemis 3 and 4 lunar landings, while Blue Origin’s crewed version of the Blue Moon will be used for the Artemis 5 mission.
Concerns have been raised about potential delays in the development of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle. Jim Free, NASA Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development, mentioned that alternative missions for Artemis 3 might be considered if there are significant delays with the Starship. Free emphasized the importance of the upcoming second orbital flight test of Starship/Super Heavy, known as OFT 2, for the progress of Artemis 3. He also highlighted the need for focus on other components of the Artemis program, including Orion, the Space Launch System, and spacesuits being developed by Axiom Space.
Overall, both Blue Origin and SpaceX are working towards advancing lunar exploration through their respective lunar lander projects, contributing to NASA’s Artemis effort.