Blue Moon (spacecraft) facts for kids
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The Blue Moon HLS chosen by NASA.
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| Manufacturer | Blue Origin |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Operator | NASA, Blue Origin |
| Applications | Carrying people and robots to the Moon |
| Specifications | |
| Spacecraft type | Lunar lander |
| Design life | 30 days |
| Launch mass | More than 45,000 kg (99,000 lb) |
| Dry mass | 16,000 kg (35,000 lb) (empty) |
| Payload capacity | 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) (for cargo, reusable) 30,000 kg (66,000 lb) (for cargo, one trip) |
| Crew capacity | 4 |
| Regime | Lunar |
| Production | |
| Status | Still being built |
Blue Moon is a special family of spacecraft designed to travel to the Moon. These vehicles are being built by a team led by Blue Origin, along with other companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Their main job is to carry both robots and astronauts safely to the lunar surface.
There are two main versions of Blue Moon. The first is a smaller, robotic lander, called Mark 1. It was originally planned for 2024 and is now expected to land on the Moon in 2026. The second is a much larger lander, called Mark 2. This one is designed to carry four astronauts to the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis program.
Contents
Exploring the Moon: What is Blue Moon?
The Blue Moon program includes several different spacecraft designs. These are the Mark 1 robotic lander, the Mark 2 human lander, and the Cislunar Transporter. All these spacecraft use the special BE-7 liquid rocket engine, which is currently being developed and tested.
Blue Moon Mark 1: Robotic Explorer
A picture of the Blue Moon Mark 1
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| Manufacturer | Blue Origin |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Operator | Blue Origin |
| Applications | Robotic lunar landing |
| Specifications | |
| Spacecraft type | Lunar lander |
| Launch mass | 21,350 kg (47,070 lb) |
| Payload capacity | 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) |
| Dimensions | |
| Diameter | 3.08 m (10.1 ft) |
| Production | |
| Status | Still being built |
The Blue Moon Mark 1 is a robot lander that can fly itself. It uses one BE-7 engine to land on the Moon. Its job is to deliver and support cargo on the lunar surface.
The Mark 1 spacecraft is about 8.05 meters (26 ft 5 in) tall and 3.08 meters (10 ft 1 in) wide. When it's full of fuel, it weighs about 21,350 kilograms (47,070 lb). It can carry up to 3,000 kilograms (6,600 lb) of supplies.
Mark 1's Design and Purpose
Mark 1 can carry lunar rovers or even act as a "base station." This base station would provide power and communication for exploring the Moon. Many of its parts, like its computers and power system, are the same as those used in the larger Mark 2 lander.
In September 2025, NASA asked Blue Origin to study how a second Mark 1 lander could help deploy the VIPER rover. This rover is designed to explore the Moon's surface.
Blue Moon Mark 2: Human Lunar Lander
A full-size model of the Blue Moon Mark 2 lander's crew cabin arrived at Johnson Space Center in 2026. This model is used for astronaut training and testing.
Mark 2's Mission and Features
The Blue Moon Mark 2 is designed to carry astronauts to the Moon. It can take two astronauts for trips lasting up to 30 days. The first mission for Mark 2 is planned for Artemis V in 2030.
Before astronauts fly on Mark 2, an uncrewed test flight is scheduled for 2027. This flight will show that all the lander's systems, including life support, work correctly. The lander will even return to lunar orbit after leaving the Moon's surface.
There is also a version of Mark 2 designed just for cargo. It can carry up to 20,000 kilograms (44,000 lb) of supplies to the Moon and be reused. For a one-way trip, it can carry up to 30,000 kilograms (66,000 lb).
Advanced Technology for Mark 2
A key technology for Blue Moon is a special system that uses solar power. It helps store liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel at very cold temperatures, around 20 K (−253 °C; −424 °F). This allows the spacecraft to stay in orbit or on the Moon for a long time. This technology could help create a permanent human presence on the Moon.
Blue Origin leads the development of the Mark 2 lander. It is designed to fit inside the 7-meter (23 ft) wide payload fairing of the New Glenn rocket. This allows it to launch into space.
Other companies are helping too. Astrobotic provides a system for carrying large cargo, like habitats or rovers. Boeing supplies the docking system. Draper provides the guidance, navigation, and control technology. Honeybee Robotics supplies systems for delivering cargo.
The Cislunar Transporter: A Space Tug
Lockheed Martin designs and operates a reusable space tug called the Cislunar Transporter. This tug is an important part of the Blue Moon system.
The Cislunar Transporter has two main parts: a tug with three BE-7 engines and a tanker. Both parts launch separately on a New Glenn rocket. They then connect together in low Earth orbit. After connecting, they are fueled by other New Glenn rocket stages.
The transporter then travels to lunar orbit. There, it connects with the Blue Moon lander and refuels it. Lockheed Martin suggests the Cislunar Transporter could also help other customers. It uses the same special fuel storage system as Blue Moon.
The BE-7 Engine: Powering Lunar Missions
Both versions of Blue Moon and the Cislunar Transporter use the BE-7 engine. This engine burns liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. These fuels are special because they could even be made on the Moon from lunar ice.
The Mark 1 lander uses one BE-7 engine. The Mark 2 and Cislunar Transporter each use three. The BE-7 engine is designed to produce a lot of power, up to 10,000 lbf (44 kN) of thrust. It can also reduce its power to as little as 8.9 kN (2,000 lbf) of thrust. This "deep throttle" ability helps with soft landings.
The BE-7 engine is also very efficient and can restart many times. Parts of the engine, like the injector, are made using advanced 3D printing.
Blue Moon's Journey: How it Started
Early Robotic Lander Plans
Blue Origin started designing a robotic lunar lander in 2016. They first showed the lander to the public in March 2017. At that time, they hoped the first lunar landing mission would happen in 2020.
Blue Origin's CEO, Jeff Bezos, said in 2018 that Blue Origin would build Blue Moon with its own money. He also said the project would move faster if a government space agency partnered with the company.
In May 2019, Blue Origin showed a model of the Blue Moon lander. They also shared details about the autonomous lander, which was designed to carry up to 6.5 t (14,000 lb) to the Moon. It would be powered by the new BE-7 engine. Later that year, NASA partnered with Blue Origin to develop a special power system for Blue Moon. This system would help the lander survive the two-week-long lunar night when there is no sunlight.
Developing a Human Lander
In October 2019, Blue Origin teamed up with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper Laboratory. They formed a "National Team" to propose a "Human Landing System" (HLS) for NASA's Artemis program. Blue Origin was the main contractor, using a version of its Blue Moon lander for the descent.
In April 2020, NASA gave Blue Origin a large contract to continue designing this human lunar lander. The goal was to land NASA astronauts on the Moon as early as 2024. However, this design was not chosen by NASA for further development. Instead, NASA selected SpaceX's Starship HLS design.
NASA's Choice for Lunar Landers
In May 2023, NASA chose Blue Moon as the second lander for the Artemis HLS program. This was part of a contract called Sustaining Lunar Development. Blue Moon was proposed by a new National Team.
The contract was worth about US$3.4 billion. Blue Origin stated it was also investing at least that much money into the project. NASA chose Blue Moon because of its lower cost and strong technical design.
Preparing for First Human Landings
In October 2025, NASA announced that the contract for the first Artemis Moon landing was being opened up. This was due to concerns about the timeline for Starship HLS. NASA expected Blue Origin to submit a proposal.
As of April 2026, Blue Origin has not publicly announced details. However, reports indicated that while Blue Moon Mark 2 might not be ready before the 2030s, Blue Origin started preliminary work on a crewed lander called Mark 1.5. This Mark 1.5 could be ready for the first Moon landing.
Under the revised Artemis timeline as of April 2026, Starship HLS or a Blue Moon lander (or both) will be tested in Earth orbit during the Artemis III mission.
Future Missions and Tests
Mark 1 Pathfinder Mission
Blue Moon Pathfinder is a planned test flight for a prototype Blue Moon Mark 1 lander. This mission will test important technologies. These include the BE-7 engine, fuel systems, computers, continuous communication, and precise landing. The lander aims to land within 100 meters (330 ft) of its target.
NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program helps fund the Pathfinder mission. In July 2024, Blue Origin received US$6.1 million from NASA. This funding is for carrying a special camera payload called Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies.
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
