Watch Out, SpaceX—NASA Is Already Training on Blue Origin’s Moon Lander Prototype

NASA has begun training preparations for the Artemis program using a full-scale prototype of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 2 (MK2) crew cabin, which arrived at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The prototype will support simulations for Artemis 3 and 4 missions, with NASA stating the lander will launch uncrewed atop Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket and dock with Orion in lunar orbit. Two astronauts will transfer to the MK2 for surface operations before returning to Orion. Blue Origin’s progress includes thermal vacuum testing of the smaller Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) cargo lander, named *Endurance*, which is now undergoing additional tests at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A demonstration mission for MK1 is planned later this year to validate systems shared with the crew-rated MK2. While Blue Origin’s development has been transparent, SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System (HLS) remains less clear. SpaceX reported completing 49 milestones for HLS in late 2025 but has not provided recent updates. The program’s success hinges on the Starship V3 rocket, which SpaceX tested with a full-thrust static fire on May 2 and aims to launch for the first time on May 15. Regular flights and on-orbit refueling demonstrations are critical to advancing HLS. NASA plans to test both landers during Artemis 3, an orbital mission in late 2027, before the crewed Artemis 4 landing in 2028. However, Starship HLS’s readiness remains uncertain, while Blue Origin’s MK2 appears to be on track for its scheduled missions. The competition between the two companies underscores the urgency of returning astronauts to the Moon ahead of China’s lunar ambitions.