What is Blue Moon and when will it land near the Moon's south pole?

The answer

Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander is set for its first uncrewed Pathfinder mission in early 2026, with the ultimate goal of landing near the Moon's south pole as part of NASA's Artemis program. The south pole is of immense scientific interest because permanently shadowed craters there may contain billions of years' worth of water ice - a resource that could be converted to drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel for future lunar bases. Alongside Blue Origin, Astrobotic's Griffin lander aims to reach the south pole in July 2026, and Intuitive Machines' IM-3 mission is planned for the first half of 2026, creating a race among private companies to establish a presence at the Moon's most coveted real estate.