Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander departed its Merritt Island facility on Tuesday, January 20, moving to Houston for final testing ahead of a planned Q1 2026 launch. Named "Endurance" after Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic exploration ship, the 26-foot-tall spacecraft will attempt to land near the lunar south pole's Shackleton crater.
The MK1 can deliver 3.3 metric tons of cargo to the Moon and will carry NASA's SCALPSS imaging array to study landing effects on the lunar surface. It features the never-before-flown BE-7 engine alongside cryogenic fluid management and precision landing systems.
If successful, Blue Origin would achieve a lunar landing before SpaceX, strengthening its position as NASA considers alternatives to Starship for Artemis crewed missions. The company holds contracts to deliver NASA's VIPER ice-hunting rover in 2027.