{"id":17598,"date":"2021-02-09T19:04:20","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T11:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/blue-origin-shows-off-an-on-the-ground-pathfinder-version-of-its-cargo-lunar-lander\/"},"modified":"2021-02-09T19:04:20","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T11:04:20","slug":"blue-origin-shows-off-an-on-the-ground-pathfinder-version-of-its-cargo-lunar-lander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/blue-origin-shows-off-an-on-the-ground-pathfinder-version-of-its-cargo-lunar-lander\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Origin shows off an on-the-ground pathfinder version of its cargo lunar lander"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_603445\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-603445\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-603445\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/210209-lander1-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"Pathfinder lunar lander\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/210209-lander1-630x354.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/210209-lander1-1260x709.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/210209-lander1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/210209-lander1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/210209-lander1.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-603445\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blue Origin employees stand next to a pathfinder version of a cargo lunar lander. (Blue Origin via Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos\u2019 Blue Origin space venture is testing a full-scale prototype of its cargo lunar lander, as part of its campaign to get a jump on heavy-duty deliveries to the moon.<\/p>\n<p>In a video posted today to Twitter and Instagram, members of Blue Origin\u2019s lander development team provided a status report on their efforts.<\/p>\n<p>The pathfinder lander has been taking shape at the factory that Blue Origin recently opened in Huntsville, Ala. That factory is responsible for manufacturing the descent element for a human-capable landing system, as well as the BE-4 engines for Blue Origin\u2019s New Glenn rocket and United Launch Alliance\u2019s Vulcan rocket.<\/p>\n<p>Blue Origin\u2019s heavy-duty landers are being designed to deliver a metric ton of payload to the lunar surface.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1359164975042936838&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2021%2Fblue-origin-shows-off-ground-test-version-cargo-lunar-lander%2F&amp;sessionId=4e066b7deeb6e27145fb867ea1e14b3591e51e3e&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1359164975042936838\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782798929320557697=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">At our Huntsville, Alabama factory, we built a full-scale pathfinder of our #HLS Descent Element lander in preparation for our demonstration mission. Take a look at some recent progress and how we are advancing America\u2019s return to the Moon. pic.twitter.com\/3yIYnGGN5d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Blue Origin (@blueorigin) February 9, 2021<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The company intends to have a cargo-only version of the descent element lander ready to take on a demonstration mission to the moon one year in advance of the first crewed landing for NASA\u2019s Artemis program.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat provides an enormous amount of risk reduction,\u201d Blue Origin chief scientist Steve Sqyures \u2014 a veteran of NASA\u2019s Mars Exploration Rover missions \u2014 explained in the video. \u201cWe get to practice. \u2026 We can pre-position material, and it can be whatever you want it to be. We can begin to build up Artemis Base Camp.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sqyures said the cargo lander will have a crane system to offload a rover and other payloads. NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center has already provided a crane for the pathfinder tests, and Sqyures said Honeybee Robotics is developing a payload-lowering davit system.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"callout clearfix\"><strong>Previously:<\/strong> Blue Origin fleshes out plans for cargo delivery to the moon<\/h4>\n<p>If NASA sticks to its current schedule, the demonstration lander would touch down near the moon\u2019s south pole in 2023, in preparation for a crewed landing in 2024. That schedule is almost certain to be pushed back, however, due to the transition in the White House and budgetary concerns.<\/p>\n<p>Blue Origin\u2019s lunar lander team \u2014 which also includes Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper \u2014 is competing with SpaceX and Dynetics for NASA\u2019s nod to proceed with development of a full-service human landing system. Last month, NASA said it would delay its decision on who gets the nod until as late as April.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In related developments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In the wake of Bezos\u2019 announcement last week that he\u2019d be stepping away from his CEO role at Amazon, Reuters quoted an unnamed senior industry source as saying that the billionaire \u201cis going to kick Blue Origin into a higher gear.\u201d Blue Origin has lagged behind SpaceX in rocket development.<\/li>\n<li>NASA has selected SpaceX\u2019s Falcon Heavy rocket to deliver the first elements of an international Gateway outpost to lunar orbit. Gateway\u2019s Power and Propulsion Element, as well as the Habitation and Logistics Outpost, would be sent out in a single launch that would take place no earlier than mid-2024. Total cost to NASA is about $331.8 million, including the launch service and other mission-related costs. For what it\u2019s worth, Blue Origin is one of Maxar Technologies\u2019 partners on the Power and Propulsion Element.<\/li>\n<li>NASA has awarded Texas-based Firefly Aerospace a $93 million contract to deliver a suite of 10 science investigations and technology demonstrations to the moon in 2023, using Firefly\u2019s Blue Ghost lander. The award is part of NASA\u2019s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Blue Origin employees stand next to a pathfinder version of a cargo lunar lander. (Blue Origin via Twitter) Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos\u2019 Blue Origin space venture is testing a full-scale prototype of its cargo lunar lander, as part of its campaign to get a jump on heavy-duty deliveries to the moon. In a video posted [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1508,509,2043,190],"class_list":["post-17598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-blue-moon","tag-blue-origin","tag-lunar-lander","tag-nasa"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17598"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17598\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}