{{short description|Lunar lander family for the Artemis program}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox spacecraft class | name = Blue Moon (HLS/Mark 2) | manufacturer = Blue Origin | designer = | country = United States | operator = NASA, Blue Origin | applications = Crewed and robotic reusable lunar landing
<!--Specifications-->| spacecraft_type = Lunar lander | spacecraft_bus = | constellation = | design_life = 30 days | launch_mass = >{{cvt|45000|kg}}<ref name="Foust 2023 Selects">{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=May 19, 2023 |title=NASA selects Blue Origin to develop second Artemis lunar lander |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-selects-blue-origin-to-develop-second-artemis-lunar-lander/ |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref> | dry_mass = {{cvt|16000|kg}}<ref name="Foust 2023 Selects" /> | payload_capacity = {{cvt|20000|kg}} (cargo variant, reusable)<br>{{cvt|30000|kg}} (cargo variant, one-way)<ref name="Berger 2023">{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Once again, NASA leans into the future by picking an innovative lunar lander – Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/05/blue-origin-wins-pivotal-nasa-contract-to-develop-a-second-lunar-lander/ |access-date=May 19, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> | crew_capacity = 4 | volume = | orbits = Lunar | length = | diameter = | width = | status = In development | height = {{cvt|16|m}}<ref name="Foust 2023 Selects"/> | image = NASA 2 HLS (cropped) Blue Moon MK2.webp | image_caption = Blue Origin Blue Moon HLS as selected by NASA. }}'''Blue Moon''' is a family of lunar landers and their associated infrastructure, intended to carry humans and cargo to the Moon, under development by a consortium led by Blue Origin and including Lockheed Martin, Draper, Boeing, Astrobotic, and Honeybee Robotics. Two versions of Blue Moon are under development: a robotic lander originally planned to land on the Moon in 2024 and delayed to 2026,<ref name="Hunter-Hart 2017" /><ref name="Davenport 2017">{{cite news |author=Davenport |first=Christian |date=March 2, 2017 |title=An exclusive look at Jeff Bezos's plan to set up Amazon-like delivery for 'future human settlement' of the moon |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/03/02/an-exclusive-look-at-jeff-bezos-plan-to-set-up-amazon-like-delivery-for-future-human-settlement-of-the-moon/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref name="Foust 2024" /> and a larger human lander planned to land a crew of four astronauts on the lunar surface for NASA's Artemis program.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NASA FY 2025 Budget Request |url=https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/fy-2025-budget-request-summary-updated.pdf |access-date=January 9, 2025}}</ref>
Development of the smaller, uncrewed lander (Mark 1) began in 2016 and was publicly revealed in 2017. It is planned to be capable of delivering up to {{convert|3.3|short ton|tonne|order=flip}} of payload to the surface of the Moon.<ref name="Klotz 2023" /> Originally envisioned as a way to gain experience with lunar landings and to support technology development, Mark 1 is also marketed independently of Mark 2. The lander has been proposed for a number of projected roles; an initial goal was a lunar south pole landing, where it was proposed that a series of landings could be used to deliver the infrastructure for a Moon base.<ref name="Hunter-Hart 2017" /><ref name="Davenport 2017" /><ref>{{cite news |author=Boyle |first=Alan |date=May 20, 2017 |title=Jeff Bezos lays out his vision for city on the Moon, complete with robots |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-moon/ |publisher=GeekWire}}</ref> Blue Moon formed the basis of part of the Integrated Lander Vehicle, a proposal for a human lander bid, but was not chosen for the Artemis HLS program.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Betz |first=Eric |date=April 5, 2021 |title=Blue moon: Will Jeff Bezos' lunar lander return astronauts to the Moon? |url=https://www.astronomy.com/space-exploration/blue-moon-will-jeff-bezos-lunar-lander-return-astronauts-to-the-moon/ |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=Astronomy Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
The human lander, referred to as Mark 2,<ref name="Berger 2023">{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Once again, NASA leans into the future by picking an innovative lunar lander – Ars Technica |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/05/blue-origin-wins-pivotal-nasa-contract-to-develop-a-second-lunar-lander/ |access-date=May 19, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> was chosen by NASA as the winner of the Sustaining Lunar Development Human Landing System contract in May 2023. It is the second human lunar lander under contract by NASA for the Artemis HLS program, alongside SpaceX Starship HLS.<ref name="O'Shea 2023">{{Cite web |last=O'Shea |first=Claire |date=May 19, 2023 |title=NASA Selects Blue Origin as Second Artemis Lunar Lander Provider |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-as-second-artemis-lunar-lander-provider |access-date=May 19, 2023 |website=NASA}}</ref> It is intended to carry up to 4 astronauts to the lunar surface for up to 30 days in a fully reusable configuration, with a cargo variant also planned.<ref name="Berger 2023" /> The lander is designed to be paired with a space tug called the Cislunar Transporter, to be built by Lockheed Martin.<ref name="Foust 2023 Selects" /> The Cislunar Transporter is launched in two parts, a tug and a tanker, to low Earth orbit before refueling Blue Moon in a lunar orbit.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 8, 2023 |title=Space Business: Cold Storage |url=https://qz.com/emails/space-business/1850514330/space-business-cold-storage |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=Quartz |language=en}}</ref> Both Mark 2 and the Cislunar Transporter are to be powered by three BE-7 engines burning liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer.<ref name="Klotz 2023">{{Cite magazine |last=Klotz |first=Irene |date=July 17, 2023 |title=Doing Business on the Moon |magazine=Aviation Week and Space Technology |pages=32–35}}</ref> They are intended to make use of new cryogenic fluid management technologies under development, including those to enable long-term on-orbit storage of their cryogenic propellants.<ref name="Davenport 2023">{{Cite news |last=Davenport |first=Christian |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Bezos's Blue Origin wins NASA contract to land astronauts on the moon |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/19/moon-lander-contract-bezos/ |access-date=May 19, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
== Description == Several spacecraft designs are included in the Blue Moon program. These include the Mark 1 lander, the Mark 2, and the Cislunar Transporter. Additionally, the BE-7 liquid rocket engine is under development and testing, and is intended to be used on each of these spacecraft.
=== Mark 1 === {{Infobox spacecraft class | name = Blue Moon (Mark 1) | manufacturer = Blue Origin | designer = | country = United States | operator = Blue Origin | applications = Robotic lunar landing | image = Blue Moon Rendering.jpg | image_caption = Rendering of Blue Moon Mark 1
<!--Specifications-->| spacecraft_type = Lunar lander | diameter = {{cvt|3.08|m}}<ref name="Foust 2024">{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=August 12, 2024 |title=NASA payload to fly on first Blue Origin lunar lander mission |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-payload-to-fly-on-first-blue-origin-lunar-lander-mission/ |access-date=August 13, 2024 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref> | height = {{cvt|8.05|m}} | launch_mass = {{cvt|21350|kg}} | payload_capacity = {{cvt|3000|kg}} | status = In development }}Blue Moon Mark 1, powered by a single BE-7 engine, is an autonomous lunar lander planned to be able to deliver and support cargo on the surface of the Moon. The Mark 1 spacecraft is {{Convert|8.05|m|ftin|sp=us}} in height and {{Convert|3.08|m|ftin|sp=us}} in diameter, with a fueled mass of {{convert|21350|kg}}. With a payload capacity reaching {{convert|3000|kg}}, uses suggested for Mark 1 include delivery of lunar rovers, as well as a "base station" that would serve as a power and communications outpost for lunar exploration.<ref name="Klotz 2023" /> The flight computers, avionics, reaction control system, and power system of Mark 1 are to be in common with those used on Mark 2.<ref name="Klotz 2023" />
In September 2025, NASA tasked Blue Origin with a Commercial Lunar Payload Services study contract to show how a second Mark 1 lander could be used to deploy the VIPER rover on the lunar surface.<ref>{{cite web |title=NASA Selects Blue Origin to Deliver VIPER Rover to Moon's South Pole - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-blue-origin-to-deliver-viper-rover-to-moons-south-pole/}}</ref>
=== Mark 2 === [[File:Blue Moon Mk 2 lander full-size prototype May 2026.webp|thumb|A full-scale prototype of the crew cabin of Blue Moon Mark 2 sitting at Johnson Space Center for training and testing in 2026.]] The full-scale prototype of Blue Moon Mark 2 crew lander was delivered to Johnson Space Center for training and testing in 2026.
Blue Moon Mark 2 is to carry two astronauts to the Moon, for up to 30 days at a time, starting with the Artemis V mission, set for 2030.<ref name="O'Shea 2023" /> The Blue Moon lander is to be capable of conducting crewed lunar landings lasting up to 30 days, pending an uncrewed demonstration flight scheduled for 2027.<ref name="Klotz 2023" /> This uncrewed flight is to be a full demonstration of the HLS portion of the Artemis 5 mission, including the lander's life support systems, that would see the lander returning to lunar orbit after departing the lunar surface.<ref name="Foust 2023 Technical">{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Technical strengths and lower cost led NASA to select Blue Origin lander |url=https://spacenews.com/technical-strengths-and-lower-cost-led-nasa-to-select-blue-origin-lander/ |access-date=May 20, 2023 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}</ref> A variant of the lander designed to carry cargo is also planned, capable of carrying a payload of up to {{convert|20000|kg}} to the surface of the Moon in a reusable configuration or {{convert|30000|kg}} in a one-way mission.<ref name="Foust 2023 Selects" />
A technology critical for the operation of Blue Moon, being developed by Blue Origin, is a solar-powered propellant boiloff mitigation mechanism intended to enable long-term storage of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen at temperatures as low as {{Convert|20|K|C F|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}.<ref name="Davenport 2023" /> Such a system will enable the spacecraft to loiter in orbit or on the surface of the Moon, potentially allowing a permanent lunar presence or supporting nuclear thermal propulsion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Space Review: A lunar lander makeover |url=https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4587/1 |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=www.thespacereview.com}}</ref>
Blue Origin is to lead the development of the lander, which is designed to fit in the {{convert|7|m|sp=us|adj=on}} payload fairing of the New Glenn launch vehicle in order to launch aboard the rocket.<ref name="Klotz 2023" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Blue Origin selected as 2nd Moon lander provider for Artemis |url=https://www.spaceflightinsider.com/missions/artemis-program/blue-origin-selected-as-nasas-2nd-moon-lander-provider-for-artemis/ |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=SpaceFlight Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> Astrobotic is to provide a cargo accommodation system for Blue Moon, to be used for large payloads such as surface habitats or lunar rovers.<ref name="Harwood 2023">{{Cite web |date=May 23, 2023 |title=Astrobotic part of Blue Origin national team awarded $3.4 billion Artemis moon lander contract |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/astrobotic-nasa-blue-origin-artemis-moon-lander-contract/ |access-date=May 23, 2023 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Boeing is to supply a docking system; Draper is to provide guidance, navigation, and control technology, and Honeybee Robotics will be responsible for supplying cargo delivery systems.<ref name="Harwood 2023" />
=== Cislunar Transporter === Lockheed Martin is to design and operate a reusable space tug called the Cislunar Transporter as part of the Blue Moon architecture.<ref name="Foust 2023 Selects" /> The Cislunar Transporter consists of two parts; a tug with three BE-7 engines, and a tanker. Each are to be launched on a New Glenn carrier rocket before docking together to form a single vehicle. After these components are assembled, the vehicle is then to be fueled by New Glenn upper stages transferring liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants. The transporter will then travel to lunar orbit, where it is to dock to and fuel the Blue Moon lander. Lockheed Martin has suggested that the Cislunar Transporter could also be used to service other customers.<ref name="Klotz 2023" /> The same zero-boil-off system intended for Blue Moon will also be present on the Transporter.<ref name="Klotz 2023" />
=== BE-7 === {{Main|BE-7}} Both variants of Blue Moon, as well as the Cislunar Transporter, are to be powered by the BE-7 liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen engine currently under development.<ref name="Klotz 2023" /><ref name="Alexander 2019" /><ref>{{cite web |date=May 9, 2019 |title=Jeff Bezos unveils lunar lander to take astronauts to the moon by 2024 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/09/jeff-bezos-unveils-blue-moon-lunar-lander.html |access-date=May 10, 2019 |website=CNBC}}</ref> Mark 1 is to use a single engine, whereas the other spacecraft are to each use three.<ref name="Klotz 2023" /> The BE-7 burns its propellants, chosen in part because they can be produced on the surface of the Moon from lunar ice, in the dual expander cycle,<ref>{{Cite web |title=AFRL and Blue Origin partner on test site for BE-7 lunar lander engine development – Air Force Research Laboratory |url=https://afresearchlab.com/news/afrl-and-blue-origin-partner-on-test-site-for-be-7-lunar-lander-engine-development/ |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=afresearchlab.com}}</ref> wherein each propellant flows through the engine, gaining heat energy, which is then used to spin turbines, providing energy to pump propellant into the combustion chamber.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ha |first1=D |last2=Roh |first2=TS |last3=Huh |first3=H |last4=Lee |first4=HJ |year=2023 |title=Development Trend of Liquid Hydrogen-Fueled Rocket Engines (Part 1: Performance and Operation) |journal=Int. J. Aeronaut. Space Sci. |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=131–45 |doi=10.1007/s42405-022-00519-7 |pmc=9421636}}</ref> The BE-7 engine is designed to produce a maximum of {{cvt|10,000|lbf|kN|order=flip}} of thrust and to throttle down to produce as little as {{Convert|2000|lbf|kN|abbr=on|order=flip}} of thrust.<ref name="BE-7">{{Cite web |title=Blue Origin's BE-7 Engine Testing Further Demonstrates Capability to Land on the Moon |url=https://www.blueorigin.com/news/be7-engine-testing |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=Blue Origin |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition to this "deep throttle" capability, it is also meant to be highly efficient, with high specific impulse, and to be capable of restarting multiple times.<ref name="BE-7" /> The BE-7 is additively manufactured,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BE-7 |url=https://www.blueorigin.com/engines/be-7 |access-date=July 18, 2023 |website=Blue Origin |language=en-US}}</ref> with components such as the injector being additively manufactured in a single piece.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1648473701254565891 |user=blueorigin |title=Pictured here are additively manufactured single piece BE-7 injectors where hydrogen and oxygen are injected into the main combustion chamber. Export restrictions constrain us from showing the business end of the injector. |author-link=Blue Origin}}</ref> The regeneratively-cooled nozzle is composed of a nickel super-alloy jacket, vacuum-brazed onto a copper liner, and hydraulically formed into the nozzle's bell shape.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1648473704077357056 |user=blueorigin |title=Pictured here are nickel-based super alloy jackets that get vacuum-brazed onto the BE-7 slotted copper liner to complete the regen nozzle. The cone shape is hydraulically formed into the final nozzle contour using the tooling shown. |author-link=Blue Origin}}</ref>
== History ==
[[File:Blue Origin construction site at Exploration Park.jpg|thumb|The Blue Origin construction site at Exploration Park in Florida on September 12, 2017.]] === Robotic spacecraft === Design work on a Blue Origin robotic lunar lander began in 2016.<ref name="Grush 2019-05-09"/> The lander platform was first publicly revealed in March 2017,<ref name="Morring 2017">{{cite news |author=Morring Jr. |first=Frank |date=March 3, 2017 |title=Blue Origin Developing 10,000-lb. Lunar Polar Lander |url=http://aviationweek.com/space/blue-origin-developing-10000-lb-lunar-polar-lander?NL=AW-05&Issue=AW-05_20170306_AW-05_576&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_5&elq2=d8ad4beebdfa470eb10a9015f7a68d6d |work=Aviation Week and Space Technology}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=Bennett |first=Jay |date=March 6, 2017 |title=Blue Origin Teases Cargo Spaceship for a Moon Base |url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/moon-mars/a25549/blue-origin-cargo-spaceship-moon-base/ |magazine=Popular Mechanics}}</ref> featuring a lunar-surface-delivered payload capacity of {{cvt|10000|lb|kg|disp=flip}}.<ref name="Morring 2017"/> At that time, the first lunar landing mission was projected to take place in 2020.<ref name="Morring 2017"/><ref name="Hunter-Hart 2017">{{cite news |author=Hunter-Hart |first=Monica |date=April 7, 2017 |title=Blue Origin is Still Going to the Moon, Even if Mars is Hip |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/30049-blue-origin-moon-lander-nasa |publisher=inVerse}}</ref> In April 2017, Blue Origin president Rob Meyerson stated that the lander could be launched by multiple launch vehicles, including Blue Origin's New Glenn, Atlas V, NASA's Space Launch System, or the Vulcan launch vehicle.<ref>{{cite news |author=Swarts |first=Phillip |date=April 6, 2017 |title=Blue Origin ready to support NASA lunar missions with Blue Moon |url=http://spacenews.com/blue-origin-ready-to-support-nasa-lunar-missions-with-blue-moon/ |work=SpaceNews}}</ref><ref name="Morring 2017" /> In a May 2018 interview, Blue Origin's CEO Jeff Bezos indicated that Blue Origin would build Blue Moon on its own, with private funding, but that the project's pace would increase should a governmental space agency partner with the company. Bezos mentioned Space Directive 1, which oriented NASA towards pursuing lunar missions, and his support for the Moon Village concept, "a proposal promoted by European Space Agency head Jan Woerner for cooperation among countries and companies to cooperate... on lunar capabilities".<ref>{{cite news |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=May 29, 2018 |title=Bezos outlines vision of Blue Origin's lunar future |url=https://spacenews.com/bezos-outlines-vision-of-blue-origins-lunar-future/ |access-date=August 21, 2018 |work=SpaceNews}}</ref>
In May 2019, Blue Origin unveiled a mockup of the Blue Moon lander at the Washington D.C. Convention Center and released specification details for the autonomous lander planned to land up to {{cvt|6.5|t|lb}} on the Moon,<ref name="Grush 2019-05-09">{{cite news |last=Grush |first=Loren |date=May 9, 2019 |title=Jeff Bezos unveils mock-up of Blue Origin's lunar lander Blue Moon |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/9/18550258/blue-origin-moon-lunar-lander-jeff-bezos-space |access-date=May 11, 2019 |work=The Verge}}</ref> to be powered by the newly unveiled BE-7.<ref name="Grush 2019-05-09" /><ref name="Alexander 2019">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTSLNOq4lK4?t=10255 Blue Origin propulsion VP Brett Alexander], Blue Origin, 2019 Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium, September 11, 2019, accessed March 19, 2020.</ref> Blue Moon-derived concepts aimed at carrying passengers to the Moon were also exhibited.<ref name="Grush 2019-05-09" /> That July, NASA announced that Glenn Research Center and Johnson Space Center would engage in a partnership with Blue Origin to develop a fuel cell power system for the Blue Moon lander, in order to enable it to survive the two-week-long lunar night, during which time solar power is unavailable.<ref>{{cite press release |title=NASA Announces US Industry Partnerships to Advance Moon, Mars Technology |date=July 30, 2019 |publisher=NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-announces-us-industry-partnerships-to-advance-moon-mars-technology |access-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref>
=== Integrated Lander Vehicle === {{main|Integrated Lander Vehicle}}
In October 2019, the National Team of Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper Laboratory announced that it would collaborate to create a proposal for the "Human Landing System" (HLS) for NASA's Artemis program.<ref name="Grush 2019-10-22">{{Cite web |last=Grush |first=Loren |date=October 22, 2019 |title=Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin teams up with spacefaring heavyweights for human lunar lander design |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/10/22/20925382/blue-origin-moon-lunar-lander-bezos-lockheed-martin-nasa-artemis-northrop |access-date=May 11, 2024 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> Blue Origin was to serve as the primary contractor, with a variant of its Blue Moon Lunar Lander serving as the descent stage. Lockheed Martin would build the ascent stage, in part based on its Orion crew capsule. Northrop Grumman would build a transfer stage based on its Cygnus spacecraft. The lander was projected to launch on the Blue Origin New Glenn launch vehicle.<ref name="Grush 2019-10-22" /> In April 2020, Blue Origin won a design contract of {{USD|579 million}} from NASA to advance the design of a human lunar lander for the Artemis program during a 10-month period in 2020{{ndash}}2021.<ref name="Potter 2020">{{cite web |last=Potter |first=Sean |date=April 30, 2020 |title=NASA Names Companies to Develop Human Landers for Artemis Missions |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-names-companies-to-develop-human-landers-for-artemis-moon-missions |access-date=June 12, 2020 |website=NASA}}</ref><ref name="Burghardt 2020">{{cite news |last=Burghardt |first=Thomas |date=May 1, 2020 |title=NASA Selects Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX Human Landers for Artemis |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/04/nasa-blue-origin-dynetics-spacex-hls-artemis/ |access-date=June 12, 2020 |work=NASASpaceFlight.com}}</ref><ref name="Couluris 2020">{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEnz8V97Qck&t=345 |title=Human Landing System: Putting Boots Back on the Moon |date=June 11, 2020 |last=Couluris |first=John |publisher=American Astronomical Society |time=5:45–9:20 |access-date=June 12, 2020 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Contracted design work started in 2020 and continued into 2021, when NASA was to evaluate which contractors would be offered contracts for initial demonstration missions and select firms for development and maturation of lunar lander systems.<ref name="Potter 2020" /><ref name="Berger 2020">{{cite news |last1=Berger |first1=Eric |date=April 30, 2020 |title=NASA awards lunar lander contracts to Blue Origin, Dynetics—and Starship |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/04/nasa-awards-lunar-lander-contracts-to-blue-origin-dynetics-and-starship/ |access-date=June 12, 2020 |work=Ars Technica}}</ref> The ILV was aimed at landing NASA astronauts on the Moon as early as 2024,<ref name="Burghardt 2020" /><ref name="Berger 2020" /><ref name="Potter 2020" /> following an uncrewed demonstrator that was to land on the Moon as early as 2023.<ref name="Couluris 2020" /> The ILV descent element was a variant of the Blue Moon lunar lander that Blue Origin had been working on for nearly three years by early 2020.<ref name="Couluris 2020" /> At the end of the year-long program, the ILV was not chosen for further development, NASA having selected instead SpaceX's Starship HLS bid.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=April 16, 2021 |title=NASA selects SpaceX to develop crewed lunar lander |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-selects-spacex-to-develop-crewed-lunar-lander/ |accessdate=April 21, 2021 |work=SpaceNews}}</ref> Although NASA had previously stated it wished to procure multiple Human Landing Systems, it only selected one lander design, citing budgetary limitations.<ref>{{cite news |last=Burghardt |first=Thomas |date=April 20, 2021 |title=After NASA taps SpaceX's Starship for first Artemis landings, agency looks to on-ramp future vehicles |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/04/nasa-starship-first-landings-on-ramp/ |accessdate=April 21, 2021 |work=SpaceNews}}</ref>
=== Sustaining Lunar Development crewed lander === ==== NASA bidding and contract ==== In May 2023, NASA selected Blue Moon as the second lander procured under the Artemis HLS program, under Appendix P of the NextSTEP-2 contracting structure, also known as Sustaining Lunar Development.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahoney |first=Erin |date=March 23, 2021 |title=NextSTEP Appendix P: Human Landing System Sustaining Lunar Development |url=http://www.nasa.gov/nextstep/humanlander4 |access-date=May 23, 2023 |website=NASA}}</ref> Blue Moon was proposed by a renewed National Team, with slightly different composition than that which had developed the Integrated Lander Vehicle.<ref name="Davenport 2023" /> The total value of the contract was approximately US$3.4 billion; Blue Origin stated that it was providing at least that amount of funding itself to the Blue Moon project.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blue Origin Team Wins NASA's Second HLS Contract |url=https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/blue-origin-team-wins-nasas-second-hls-contract/ |access-date=May 20, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref> Blue Moon had successfully competed with the Dynetics ALPACA for the contract; NASA stated that the lower cost and technical strengths of Blue Moon led to its selection.<ref name="Foust 2023 Technical" /> Appendix P had been open to bidding, with the exception of SpaceX, which had received a similar contract under Option B of Appendix H of NextSTEP-2, as provided for by the original HLS contract.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NASA Lays Out Revised Approach for Future Human Lunar Landing Systems |url=https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/nasa-lays-out-revised-approach-for-future-human-lunar-landing-systems/ |access-date=August 2, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Initial crewed Moon landing ===
In October 2025, in response to mounting concerns over the timeline for development of Starship HLS, acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy announced the contract for a lander for the first Artemis Moon landing — at that time planned to be the Artemis III mission — was being opened up.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Berger | first1=Eric | title=Why did NASA’s chief just shake up the agency’s plans to land on the Moon? | url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/10/nasas-acting-leader-seeks-to-keep-his-job-with-new-lunar-lander-announcement/ | date=October 20, 2025 | website=arsTechnica | access-date=April 17, 2026 }}</ref> Duffy expected Blue Origin to submit a proposal. As of April 2026, Blue Origin has not publicly announced details, but it had earlier been reported that while Blue Moon Mark 2 could likely not be delivered before the 2030s, Blue Origin had begun preliminary work on a crewed lander based on Blue Moon Mark 1, tentatively called Mark 1.5, which could be produced in time for the initial Moon landing.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Berger | first1=Eric | title=How America fell behind China in the lunar space race—and how it can catch back up | url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/10/how-america-fell-behind-china-in-the-lunar-space-race-and-how-it-can-catch-back-up/ | date=October 2, 2025 | website=arsTechnica | access-date=April 17, 2026 }}</ref> Under the revised Artemis timeline as of April 2026, one or both of Starship HLS and a Blue Moon lander will be tested in Earth orbit during the Artemis III mission.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Berger | first1=Eric | title=With Orion still flying, NASA is nearing key decisions about Artemis III | url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/04/with-orion-still-flying-nasa-is-nearing-key-decisions-about-artemis-iii/ | date=April 8, 2026 | website=arsTechnica | access-date=April 17, 2026 }}</ref>
== List of vehicles ==
{{Sticky header}} {| class="wikitable sortable sticky-header" style="font-size:90%" ! {{Abbr|No.|Serial number}} ! Name ! Type ! Status ! Flights ! Total<br>flight time ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | rowspan="1" | <abbr>MK1-101</abbr> | rowspan="1" | ''Endurance'' | rowspan="1" | Mark 1 | rowspan=1 {{Active}} | rowspan="1" | 0 | rowspan="1" | 0h | rowspan="1" | First flight test |}
== Missions ==
=== Mark 1 Pathfinder === {{main|Blue Moon Pathfinder}}
Blue Moon Pathfinder is a planned flight test of a prototype Blue Moon Mark 1 lander.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boyle |first=Alan |date=March 11, 2025 |title=Blue Origin's Blue Moon lunar lander is on deck to deliver NASA payload to the moon |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2025/blue-origin-blue-moon-lunar-lander-nasa/ |access-date=September 26, 2025 |website=GeekWire |language=en-US}}</ref> The mission will demonstrate critical technologies, including the BE-7 engine, cryogenic fluid power and propulsion systems, avionics, continuous downlink communications, and precision landing with an accuracy within {{Convert|100|m|sp=us}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blue Moon Mark 1 Lunar Lander |url=https://www.blueorigin.com/blue-moon/mark-1 |access-date=March 13, 2025 |website=Blue Origin |language=en-US |quote=The Pathfinder Mission (MK1-SN001) will be a demonstration mission, with MK1-SN002 and beyond available to payload customers. MK1-SN001 proves out critical systems, including the BE-7 engine, cryogenic fluid power and propulsions systems, avionics, continuous downlink communications, and precision landing within 100 m site accuracy, prior to the uncrewed NASA Human Landing System mission for the Artemis program.}}</ref> The Pathfinder mission is partially funded by NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, under which Blue Origin was awarded {{US$|6.1 million|link=yes}} in July 2024 to transport the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies payload.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2024 |title=Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) JEFO for Task Order CT-3 |url=https://sam.gov/opp/bc53a5b240d5469da1b23e8184f4d999/view |access-date=March 12, 2025 |website=System for Award Management |publisher=U.S. General Services Administration}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Luinstra |first=Martijn |date=January 26, 2025 |title=NASA's CLPS program accelerates as two landers head for the Moon |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/01/lunar-missions-roundup/ |access-date=March 12, 2025 |work=NASASpaceflight |language=en-US}}</ref>
== See also == * Apollo Lunar Module * Lanyue – Chinese crewed lunar lander * LK (spacecraft) – Soviet crewed lunar lander * Starship HLS – SpaceX's lunar lander variant of the Starship spacecraft * Altair (spacecraft) – the crewed lander component of NASA's cancelled Constellation program * List of crewed lunar lander designs * Comparison of crewed space vehicles
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== * [https://www.blueorigin.com/blue-moon Blue Moon's official website] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmk1oHzvNKA Animation of Blue Moon] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ98hGUe6FM Blue Moon unveiling event], Blue Origin, May 9, 2019
{{Crewed spacecraft}} {{Blue Origin}} {{Cargo spacecraft}} {{Moon spacecraft}} {{Rocket engines}}
Category:Blue Origin spacecraft Category:Proposed spacecraft Category:New Glenn Category:Blue Moon (spacecraft) Category:Crewed spacecraft Category:Lunar landers