SpaceMiningData
SpacecraftMoonIn development

Blue Moon Mark 1 (second lander) - VIPER delivery

Blue Origin's second Blue Moon Mark 1 lander, which NASA says will carry the VIPER water-ice prospecting rover to the lunar South Pole under a CLPS task order with a total potential value of $190 million. Arrival is scheduled for late 2027.

Objective. Deliver NASA's VIPER rover, which carries the Honeybee-built TRIDENT drill and volatile-sensing instruments, to map water ice and other volatiles at the lunar South Pole.

Targeted

Facts

Kind
Spacecraft
Mission type
Prospecting
Target
MoonLunar South Pole region
Launch
Not recorded
Phase
In developmentIn development: NASA (2025-09-19 release; Moon Base Phases page updated 2026-08-24) says the second Blue Moon MK1 lander is in production and VIPER is scheduled to arrive in late 2027. The date is an arrival target, not a stated launch date.
Outcome
Not applicable
Why it is included
Carries a resource instrument

Participants

Operators, payload owners, carriers and customers are recorded separately.

OrganizationRole
Blue OriginOperator
National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationCustomer

Carried on this mission

RecordKindOperator
VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover)PayloadNational Aeronautics and Space Administration

Resources and evidence

ResourceEvidence
Water iceTargeted
VolatilesTargeted

Dated events

  1. 2025-09-19

    NASA CLPS task order to Blue Origin for VIPER delivery

    ContractBlue OriginWith Blue Moon Mark 1 (second lander) - VIPER delivery, VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover), National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationUSD 190,000,000 (official award record)

    NASA awarded Blue Origin a CLPS task order, with an option, to deliver the VIPER water-ice prospecting rover to the lunar South Pole in late 2027 on a second Blue Moon MK1 lander. NASA gives a total potential value of $190 million.

    Sources (2) and evidence gaps
    1. [1]NASA Selects Blue Origin to Deliver VIPER Rover to Moon's South Pole (Release 25-064)
      NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-09-19Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: amount
      The CLPS task order has a total potential value of $190 million.
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    2. [2]NASA Selects Blue Origin to Deliver VIPER Rover to Moon's South Pole (Release 25-064)
      NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-09-19Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: summary, counterparty id
      NASA has awarded Blue Origin of Kent, Washington, a CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) task order with an option to deliver a rover to the Moon's South Pole region.
      Quote matched the source text when accessed.
    • Amount is total potential value including an option; exercise of the delivery option not confirmed

Open evidence gaps

  • Whether NASA has exercised the VIPER-delivery option of the task order is not confirmed from a primary source
  • Launch vehicle not stated in NASA's award release
  • No NASA or Blue Origin statement found on schedule impact of the 2026-05-28 New Glenn explosion that damaged Launch Complex 36

Sources

6 sources
  1. [1]NASA Selects Blue Origin to Deliver VIPER Rover to Moon's South Pole (Release 25-064)
    NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-09-19Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: participants, phase
    NASA has awarded Blue Origin of Kent, Washington, a CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) task order with an option to deliver a rover to the Moon's South Pole region.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  2. [2]NASA Selects Blue Origin to Deliver VIPER Rover to Moon's South Pole (Release 25-064)
    NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-09-19Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: objective, resources, inclusion basis
    NASA's VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) will search for volatile resources, such as ice, on the lunar surface
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  3. [3]NASA Selects Blue Origin to Deliver VIPER Rover to Moon's South Pole (Release 25-064)
    NASAGovernment recordPublished 2025-09-19Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: launch date, phase
    With this new award, Blue Origin will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface in late 2027, using a second Blue Moon MK1 lander, which is in production.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  4. [4]Moon Base Phases (living page; last updated 2026-08-24)
    NASAGovernment recordAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: launch date
    Scheduled to arrive at the lunar South Pole in late 2027 through NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  5. [5]Moon Base Phases (living page; last updated 2026-08-24)
    NASAGovernment recordAccessed 2026-09-25Supports: phase
    VIPER will ride to the Moon aboard Blue Origin's second Blue Moon MK1 lander currently in production.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.
  6. [6]Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket explodes during prelaunch testing at Cape Canaveral
    Spaceflight NowPressPublished 2026-05-29Accessed 2026-09-25Supports: missing evidence
    Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket exploded on the pad at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as the result of an anomaly during a static fire test on Thursday, May 28.
    Quote matched the source text when accessed.