Moon Base I

Spacecraft: Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance

The Blue Moon Mark 1 is an uncrewed, single-launch, expendable cargo lander developed by Blue Origin. Standing approximately 8–8.05 m tall with a primary cylindrical body diameter of about 3.08 m, the vehicle is sized to fit within the 7 m diameter fairing of the New Glenn launch vehicle. Its fully fuelled mass is approximately 21,350 kg, and it is capable of delivering up to 3,000 kg of cargo to any location on the lunar surface, including the south polar region.

Propulsion is provided by a single BE-7 cryogenic engine burning liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, producing approximately 40 kN of thrust. The hydrolox propellant combination was chosen for its high specific impulse and compatibility with long-duration cryogenic storage in the deep-space environment. The lander remains on the surface after landing — there is no ascent stage.

Standard payload interfaces on the aft module and top deck include structural mounts, regulated DC power, RS-485/RS-422 data handling, and direct-to-Earth communications. Optional services include active thermal management, surface offloading of payloads, and custom interface support. The forward module carries mission payloads; a rotating davit arm and cable-and-winch offloader system can lower heavy cargo from the top of the forward module to uneven polar terrain, and has been tested to roll and pitch slopes of up to 10°.

Before flight, Endurance completed thermal vacuum testing in Chamber A at NASA Johnson Space Center, verifying structural and thermal integrity and overall system performance under simulated space vacuum and lunar thermal conditions.

Mission Objectives

Moon Base I has four primary technical objectives. First, it will demonstrate precision autonomous guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), targeting a landing accuracy within 100 m of the designated site on the Shackleton Connecting Ridge. Second, it will validate the BE-7 cryogenic engine and the lander's propellant storage and management systems through the full descent and landing sequence. Third, it will maintain continuous downlink communications throughout descent and surface operations. Fourth, its two NASA payloads — SCALPSS and the Laser Retroreflective Array — will collect science and navigation data directly relevant to future Artemis surface missions.

Beyond these technical demonstrations, Moon Base I serves as the programmatic first step in a sequence of Blue Moon MK1 cargo landings intended to build up mobility infrastructure and pre-deploy assets at the lunar south pole ahead of the first crewed Artemis landings. Subsequent MK1 missions are planned to deliver Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs) and additional cargo, with the first LTV delivery targeted before the crewed Artemis 4 mission, currently planned for 2028.

Programmatic Context: Moon Base Initiative

Moon Base I is the kickoff mission of NASA's Moon Base initiative, a long-term programme to establish a sustained human presence at the lunar south pole. The initiative is organised into three phases. Phase One ('Experiment and Learn', through 2029) is dedicated to robotic missions that test power, navigation, mobility, and survival systems; the phase targets 25 launches, 21 landings, and 4,000 kg of payload to the lunar surface. Moon Base I is among the foundational missions of this phase.

Phase Two ('Build and Expand', 2029–2032) focuses on deploying power systems, communications networks, and habitation elements, with a target of 27 launches, 24 landings, and 60,000 kg of cargo delivered. Phase Three ('Live and Work on the Moon', 2032 onwards) aims for sustained human presence with advanced infrastructure, scaling to 29 launches, 26 landings, and 150,000 kg of cargo per year.

Within this architecture, Blue Origin's MK1 missions, including Moon Base I, supply early cargo and technology demonstrations. The Blue Moon Mark 2, a larger crew-and-cargo lander planned to carry up to four astronauts for approximately 30-day stays, will follow and support the crewed phase of the programme. Blue Origin has stated that MK2 is developed under its $3.4 billion NASA HLS Sustaining Lunar Development contract, with crewed operations planned from Artemis V, currently targeted for around 2029–2030.