Blue Moon Pathfinder

{{short description|Blue Origin lunar lander test flight}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox spaceflight

| name = Blue Moon Pathfinder

| names_list = {{Abbr|CLPS TO CT-3|Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order CT-3}}

| image = Blue Moon Mark 1 rendering.png

| image_caption = Rendering of a Blue Moon Mark 1 spacecraft on the Lunar surface

| mission_type = Lunar landing{{,}}Flight test

| operator = Blue Origin

| COSPAR_ID =

| SATCAT =

| mission_duration =

| spacecraft = Blue Moon Mark 1 ({{Abbr|MK1-SN001|Mark 1-Serial Number 001}})

| launch_mass =

| launch_date = {{Abbr|NET|no earlier than}} August 2025{{Cite tweet |number=1899243362630205750 |user=jeff_foust |title=A chart at the #LPSC2025 NASA town hall lists an Aug 2025 launch date for Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander, which carries an imaging payload for NASA's CLPS program. |first=Jeff |last=Faust |date=10 March 2025 |access-date=12 March 2025}}

| launch_rocket = New Glenn

| launch_site = Cape Canaveral, LC{{nbhyph}}36

{{Infobox spaceflight/IP

| object = Moon

| type = lander

| arrival_date =

| location = South Pole

}}

| insignia =

| insignia_caption =

| programme = Commercial Lunar Payload Services

| previous_mission = IM-2 (Athena)

| next_mission = Griffin Mission 1

}}

Blue Moon Pathfinder is a planned robotic lunar landing mission to be operated by Blue Origin, set to launch no earlier than August 2025. As a flight test of a prototype Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, the mission will demonstrate critical systems, including the BE-7 engine, cryogenic fluid power and propulsion systems, avionics, continuous downlink communications, and precision landing with an accuracy within {{Convert|100|m|sp=us}}. Validating these technologies is essential for supporting future Human Landing System missions under NASA's Artemis program, which will utilize the larger Blue Moon Mark 2 lander.{{Cite web |title=Blue Moon Mark 1 Lunar Lander |url=https://www.blueorigin.com/blue-moon/mark-1 |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Blue Origin |language=en-US |quote=The Pathfinder Mission (MK1-SN001) will be a demonstration mission, with MK1-SN002 and beyond available to payload customers. MK1-SN001 proves out critical systems, including the BE-7 engine, cryogenic fluid power and propulsions systems, avionics, continuous downlink communications, and precision landing within 100 m site accuracy, prior to the uncrewed NASA Human Landing System mission for the Artemis program.}}

Blue Origin also plans to offer future Blue Moon Mark 1 missions to commercial, governmental, and institutional customers seeking lunar payload delivery. The Pathfinder mission is partially funded by NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, under which Blue Origin was awarded {{US$|6.1 million|link=yes}} in July 2024 to transport the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) payload. SCALPSS consists of four cameras designed to capture high-resolution imagery of how the plume from the lander's high-thrust BE-7 engine interacts with the lunar surface during and after descent.{{Cite web |date=24 July 2024 |title=Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) JEFO for Task Order CT-3 |url=https://sam.gov/opp/bc53a5b240d5469da1b23e8184f4d999/view |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=System for Award Management |publisher=U.S. General Services Administration}}{{Cite news |last=Luinstra |first=Martijn |date=26 January 2025 |title=NASA's CLPS program accelerates as two landers head for the Moon |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/01/lunar-missions-roundup/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=NASASpaceflight |language=en-US}} The data gathered will help scientists better understand the effects of rocket exhaust on the Moon’s regolith, providing valuable insights for future Artemis missions.{{Cite web |last=Dooren |first=Jennifer M. |date=23 February 2024 |title=NASA Tech Contributes to Soft Moon Landing, Agency Science Underway |url=https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-tech-contributes-to-soft-moon-landing-agency-science-underway/ |access-date=25 February 2024 |publisher=NASA}} {{source-attribution}} A similar SCALPSS payload was previously flown aboard the IM-1 CLPS mission.{{Cite news |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=12 August 2024 |title=NASA payload to fly on first Blue Origin lunar lander mission |url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-payload-to-fly-on-first-blue-origin-lunar-lander-mission/ |access-date=13 March 2025 |work=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}