22.01.2026
Single-Launch Cargo Lander
Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) is a single-launch, lunar cargo lander that remains on the surface and provides safe, reliable, and affordable access to the lunar environment. MK1 will provide cargo transport, leveraging the 7-meter fairing of the New Glenn launch vehicle, to deliver up to three metric tons anywhere on the lunar surface.
Quelle: Blue Origin
Those traveling on Brevard's Space Commerce Way, which was recently renamed State Road 321, may have noticed a peculiar sight emerging from Blue Origin's facility. The world got its first look at the company's lunar lander.
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander rolled out of the Merritt Island complex. The uncrewed lander, known as Endurance, is being shipped to Houston for testing ahead of its flight to the moon.
"Introducing Endurance. Named for Ernest Shackleton’s legendary ship that journeyed to Earth’s South Pole, MK1 honors resilience under pressure," read a Jan. 20 post on X by Blue Origin. "That same spirit of perseverance guides our mission to the lunar South Pole."
The company has previously stated that a lander would launch on a pathfinder mission no earlier than the first half of this year atop the company's New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral.
Blue Origin has been tapped by NASA to deliver the long-delayed VIPER mission to the lunar south pole in 2027 — a 100-day mission to look for ice. It is the lunar south pole where NASA aims to land astronauts beginning with the Artemis III mission in 2028.
Beyond the Mark 1 lander, Blue Origin is also under contract by NASA for its upgraded Mark 2 lander, which will deliver astronauts to the lunar surface during the Artemis V mission.
There is currently no official launch date for the Mark 1 lander.
Quelle: Florida Today