: 2028, lunar landing Blue Moon is also much smaller than Starship, with a capacity for just four astronauts and a 30–tonne payload. NASA paid a fixed price of $3.4 billion to Blue Origin to develop the craft, but the company also contributed its own funds to the project bringing to total cost to around $7 billion. While SpaceX had a considerable head start, the race is now becoming much closer than Musk might have hoped. Starship has been tested 11 times, with most of the trials ending in explosive disaster, and the rocket is yet to achieve a stable orbit. Successful launches in August and October last year demonstrated booster separation and mock satellite deployment, but Musk recently announced that the next test would be delayed until mid–May without further explanation. Meanwhile, Blue Origin recently posted a video showing the Endurance lander undergoing thermal vacuum chamber testing in preparation for spaceflight. Blue Origin's chief executive, David Limp, wrote in a post on X that the test brought the lander 'one step closer to the moon!' Later this year, the company plans a Blue Moon 'Pathfinder Mission' that will land near the moon's south pole. While SpaceX has faced serious delays, Blue Moon has just completed thermal vacuum chamber testing in preparation for spaceflight The lander will test its engines, communications, and life support systems, as well as deliver three tonnes of scientific and technological cargo for NASA ahead of the 2028 moon landing. Amit Kshatriya, NASA's associate administrator, told The Telegraph: 'There's a Blue Origin lander that just came out of the chamber and that's getting shipped to Florida. 'I know the folks in Boca Chica are getting the block three Starship ready to roll. They're going to do static fires here shortly in April and hopefully get off relatively soon. So we're in earnest, and proceeding as quickly as we can.' NASA says that the lander that is either ready in time or performs best during the Artemis III trials will be selected to carry humans to the lunar surface during Artemis IV in 2028.