Blue Moon Pathfinder Mission 1
Blue Moon Pathfinder Mission 1 is a planned robotic lunar landing mission to be operated by Blue Origin, set to launch no earlier than early 2026.
Overview
As a flight test of a prototype Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, the mission will demonstrate critical systems, including the BE-7 engine, cryogenic fluid power and propulsion systems, avionics, continuous downlink communications, and precision landing with an accuracy within. Validating these technologies is essential for supporting future Human Landing System missions under NASA's Artemis program, which will utilize the larger Blue Moon Mark 2 lander.Blue Origin also plans to offer future Blue Moon Mark 1 missions to commercial, governmental, and institutional customers seeking lunar payload delivery. The Pathfinder mission is partially funded by NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, under which Blue Origin was awarded in July 2024 to transport the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies payload. SCALPSS consists of four cameras designed to capture high-resolution imagery of how the plume from the lander's high-thrust BE-7 engine interacts with the lunar surface during and after descent. The data gathered will help scientists better understand the effects of rocket exhaust on the Moon's regolith, providing valuable insights for future Artemis missions. A similar SCALPSS payload was previously flown aboard the IM-1 CLPS mission.