NASA is set to begin training with a prototype of Blue Origin’s crew moon lander, following the success of its Artemis II crewed mission. The space agency has targeted a moon landing in 2028 and has contracted both Blue Origin and SpaceX to provide the landers for the lunar mission. However, neither company has demonstrated a moon landing as of yet.
This week, NASA announced it has a full-scale prototype of the crew cabin of Blue Origin’s Mark 2 lander at Johnson Space Center. The 15-foot-tall prototype will allow for “human-in-the-loop tests” involving mission scenarios, mission control communications, spacesuit checkouts, and preparations for simulated moonwalks.
The complete lander, once integrated with additional systems, will stand at 52 feet tall. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX face challenges in preparing their landers to meet NASA’s timeline.
Blue Origin’s uncrewed lander, known as Endurance (or MK1), is currently undergoing testing in NASA’s thermal vacuum chamber. This lander is scheduled for its first mission this year, which will focus on delivering science payloads to the lunar surface.
For the upcoming phase of the Artemis program, Artemis III will involve a crew flying the Orion spacecraft to low Earth orbit. NASA aims to conduct docking tests with Blue Origin and SpaceX’s landers during this mission, targeting a 2027 launch date.
