Moon Lander Replica Ready for Artemis Astronauts

A full-scale replica of Blue Origin's Blue Moon lunar lander is now operational at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. This 15-foot tall crew cabin prototype will serve as an essential training tool for astronauts preparing for future lunar missions.

The replica features an interior and exterior, including a ladder for exiting onto the lunar surface, allowing for comprehensive mission simulations. Both NASA and Blue Origin can utilize the cabin for training and to provide design feedback as the lander development progresses.

NASA's Artemis program is targeting a crewed mission to the moon's surface in 2028, with Artemis IV. Prior to this, the Artemis III mission is planned for 2027, focusing on testing lunar lander docking capabilities in Earth orbit.

Both Blue Origin and SpaceX are developing lunar landers. SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 are designed to rendezvous with astronauts in lunar orbit and transport them to and from the surface.

Blue Origin is also preparing an uncrewed version of its lander for a 2026 pathfinding mission to the moon's south pole. This supports NASA's broader strategy of increasing robotic lunar landings to pave the way for human exploration.