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- Source: inbox/queue/2026-04-22-spacenews-viper-blue-origin-phased-contract.md - Domain: space-development - Claims: 0, Entities: 1 - Enrichments: 3 - Extracted by: pipeline ingest (OpenRouter anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5) Pentagon-Agent: Astra <PIPELINE>
37 lines
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1.8 KiB
Markdown
37 lines
No EOL
1.8 KiB
Markdown
# Blue Moon Mark 1
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**Type:** Lunar lander
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**Developer:** Blue Origin
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**Status:** In development (first flight expected 2026)
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**Payload capacity:** Sufficient for VIPER rover delivery
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**Launch vehicle:** New Glenn
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## Overview
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Blue Moon Mark 1 is Blue Origin's lunar lander designed for Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions. The vehicle is distinct from the larger Blue Moon Mark 2 variant being developed for Artemis crewed missions.
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## Timeline
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- **2025-09-20** — NASA awards Blue Origin $190M task order to deliver VIPER rover using Blue Moon Mark 1, targeting late 2027 delivery. Blue Origin was the only bidder for the award.
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- **2025-09** — First Blue Moon Mark 1 flight expected "later in 2025" (likely 2026 based on publication context)
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- **2026-04-19** — New Glenn NG-3 upper stage failure grounds New Glenn fleet, delaying first Blue Moon Mark 1 launch indefinitely
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## Technical Details
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### VIPER Mission Configuration
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- **Contract structure:** Two-phase award
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- Phase 1 (base): Design work for VIPER accommodations and surface deployment
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- Phase 2 (optional): Actual delivery, contingent on Phase 1 success AND successful first Blue Moon landing
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- **Target landing site:** Lunar south pole
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- **Mission sequence:** Second Blue Moon Mark 1 flight (VIPER delivery follows demonstration mission)
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## Program Dependencies
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- **Launch vehicle:** New Glenn (currently grounded)
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- **Demonstration requirement:** Successful first Blue Moon landing required before VIPER delivery mission proceeds
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- **Alternative providers:** None (Blue Origin was sole bidder for VIPER lander award)
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## Sources
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- SpaceNews, "NASA revives VIPER lunar rover mission with Blue Origin lander award," September 20, 2025
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- SpaceNews, "Blue Origin only bidder for new VIPER lander award," September 23, 2025 |