[8] Originally envisioned as a way to gain experience with lunar landings and to support technology development, MK 1 is also marketed independently of MK2.

[8] Blue Moon MK1 will be used as a platform for NASA's Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) payload.

[15] The Blue Moon lander is to be capable of conducting crewed lunar landings lasting up to 30 days, pending an uncrewed demonstration flight scheduled for 2027.

[17] Such a system will enable the spacecraft to loiter in orbit or on the surface of the Moon, potentially allowing a permanent lunar presence or supporting nuclear thermal propulsion.

[8][19] Astrobotic is to provide a cargo accommodation system for Blue Moon, to be used for large payloads such as surface habitats or lunar rovers.

[20] Lockheed Martin is to design and operate a reusable space tug called the Cislunar Transporter as part of the Blue Moon architecture.

[21] The Cislunar Transporter consists of two parts, a tug, with 3 BE-7 engines, and a tanker, which are each to be launched on a New Glenn carrier rocket before docking together to form a single vehicle.

[30] That July, NASA announced that Glenn Research Center and Johnson Space Center would engage in an partnership with Blue Origin to develop a fuel cell power system for the Blue Moon lander, in order to enable it to survive the two-week-long lunar night, during which time solar power is unavailable.

[35] In October 2019, the National Team of Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Draper Laboratory announced that it would collaborate to create a proposal for the "Human Landing System" (HLS) for NASA's Artemis program.

[39] At the end of the year-long program, the ILV was not chosen for further development, NASA having selected instead SpaceX's Starship HLS bid.

[41] Although NASA had previously stated it wished to procure multiple Human Landing Systems, it only selected one lander design, citing budgetary limitations.

[42] In May 2023, NASA selected Blue Moon as the second lander procured under the Artemis HLS program, under Appendix P of the NextSTEP-2 contracting structure, also known as Sustaining Lunar Development.

[43] Blue Moon was proposed by a renewed National Team, with slightly different composition than that which had developed the Integrated Lander Vehicle.

[45] A NASA payload called Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS) will be aboard the lander.