Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Mark 1 lunar lander.
Image credit: Blue Origin

In a statement from Blue Origin, “lunar permanence is only possible with recurring access to the Moon, and it starts this year. Proud to support NASA Moon Base at the lunar South Pole with our Blue Moon MK1 vehicles delivering high-cadence, low-cost access—MK1-101 Endurance (Moon Base 1), followed by MK1-102 VIPER, and two additional MK1 missions supporting Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs).”

Image credit: NASA/Inside Outer Space screengrab

This first MK1 mission will land on the Shackleton Connecting Ridge to demonstrate capabilities that reduce risk for future crewed Artemis landing missions in 2028.

Moon Base I: Targeted for launch no earlier than fall 2026, this mission will use Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander to deliver NASA payloads.

Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPS)
Image credit: NASA

Laser Retroreflective Array.
Image credit: NASA

NASA equipment onboard Endurance:

Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies instrument to study how thrusters interact with the Moon’s surface.

A Laser Retroreflective Array, which helps orbiting spacecraft determine a more precise location using reflected laser light.

Image credit: NASA/Inside Outer Space screengrab