Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK1 Heads to Historic NASA Test Facility from Port Canaveral
By Space Coast Daily // January 21, 2026
BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1), Blue Origin’s next-generation lunar lander designed to deliver up to three metric tons of cargo anywhere on the Moon’s surface, has taken a major step forward in its journey to the lunar surface.
The massive lander was recently loaded at Port Canaveral using the port’s mobile harbor crane before beginning its transfer to NASA’s Thermal Vacuum Chamber A, where it will undergo extensive testing.
The facility, located at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, is the same historic chamber used to test the Apollo spacecraft, placing Blue Moon MK1 among a lineage of vehicles critical to America’s human spaceflight legacy.
The upcoming tests will simulate the extreme conditions of space, including the harsh temperature swings and vacuum environment encountered during lunar missions. Successful completion of the testing will be a key milestone as Blue Origin advances its role in NASA’s Artemis program and the broader effort to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon.
Port Canaveral officials expressed pride in supporting the mission, calling their involvement an honor and a reflection of the port’s growing role in the nation’s modern space program.
The port also recognized Enstructure Canaveral, which served as the stevedore for the project, for its partnership and expertise in handling the complex operation.
As Blue Moon MK1 moves closer to flight readiness, the collaboration between industry, NASA, and spaceport partners underscores a renewed era of lunar exploration—one that builds on the achievements of the past while setting its sights firmly on the future.
