Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
NASA has installed a full-scale mock-up of the crew cabin for Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 lunar lander at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. This prototype will support astronaut training and mission simulations as part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon.
The Blue Moon crew lander will carry two astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back, serving as their living and working environment during lunar missions. The current cabin model features an exterior ladder for moon surface access. The mock-up will also provide design feedback as development continues.
NASA plans to use the cabin for various human-in-the-loop tests, including mission scenarios, communications with ground teams, spacesuit checkouts, and moonwalk preparation. Over time, it will be upgraded into an interactive simulator to enhance astronaut training and support mission control operations.
The Artemis program is partnering with two U.S. companies to develop human landing systems that will ferry astronauts between the Orion spacecraft in lunar orbit and the lunar surface. Blue Origin’s lander will launch uncrewed atop its New Glenn rocket and meet astronauts aboard Orion in orbit.
Following Artemis II’s test flight around the Moon, NASA will conduct Artemis III to test key systems in Earth orbit, such as rendezvous and docking with commercial landers, including Blue Origin’s. These steps pave the way for Artemis IV and V missions, which aim to return humans to the Moon by 2028 using commercial lunar landers.