Blue Origin · SpaceX · Artemis Program · Engadget
Following the success of its Artemis II crewed mission, NASA is now turning its focus to the next milestones
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This week, NASA shared that it now has a full-scale prototype of the crew cabin of Blue Origin's Mark 2 lander so it can begin training.
Key facts
- With the 15-foot-tall prototype at NASA's Johnson Space Center, the space agency and Blue Origin will be able to "conduct a series of human-in-the-loop tests, or tests with human interaction
- This week, NASA shared that it now has a full-scale prototype of the crew cabin of Blue Origin's Mark 2 lander so it can begin training
- But as recent attempts have shown, landing smoothly on the moon isn't easy, and both Blue Origin and SpaceX have their work cut out for them to get their landers ready on NASA's current timeline
- An uncrewed version of Blue Origin's lander, dubbed Endurance (or MK1), has been undergoing testing in NASA's thermal vacuum chamber ahead of its first mission this year, in which it will deliver
Summary
Following the success of its Artemis II crewed mission, NASA is now turning its focus to the next milestones in its plan to put astronauts back on the moon. With the 15-foot-tall prototype at NASA's Johnson Space Center, the space agency and Blue Origin will be able to "conduct a series of human-in-the-loop tests, or tests with human interaction, including mission scenarios, mission control communications, spacesuit checkouts, and preparations for simulated moonwalks," NASA explained. An uncrewed version of Blue Origin's lander, dubbed Endurance (or MK1), has been undergoing testing in NASA's thermal vacuum chamber ahead of its first mission this year, in which it will deliver science payloads to the lunar surface.