Katie Spicer, Key NASA Figure for Blue Moon Mark 2 Module in Artemis Program
Katie Spicer, a NASA engineer, leads integration of Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 2 lunar module, designed to transport astronauts during Artemis crewed missions planned for 2028. She ensures the module meets crew operational needs, focusing on microgravity use and system ergonomics. After an unconventional career start, she has become essential to Artemis, aiming to return humans to the Moon.
Katie Spicer holds the position of integration lead for the Blue Moon Mark 2 lunar module, developed by Blue Origin, one of the commercial human landing systems selected by NASA for the Artemis program. This module is intended to safely transport astronauts between lunar orbit and the Moon’s surface during crewed missions planned for 2028.
Working within NASA’s Johnson Space Center Flight Operations Directorate in Houston, Spicer is responsible for assessing and monitoring the design and development of the Blue Moon module. The design is evolving rapidly, with Blue Origin developing both a simplified prototype for low Earth orbit testing and a fully functional module for crewed lunar landing.
In her role, Spicer collaborates closely with NASA and Blue Origin teams to ensure the module meets Artemis mission objectives. She examines every detail with a focus on astronaut ergonomics and experience, ensuring systems are usable in microgravity, handles and controls are accessible, and hygiene systems are suitable for the module’s confined space.
Her work extends beyond technical compliance: she also ensures crew procedures and training enable safe and effective use of onboard systems. This operational attention to detail is critical for the success of future crewed lunar missions.
Katie Spicer’s career path is unconventional. Holding a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Pennsylvania State University, she initially dedicated several years to her family before joining NASA part-time. She began by maintaining the historic life sciences laboratory where Apollo astronauts were quarantined and lunar samples were stored.
Later, she worked on scientific payloads for the International Space Station, notably operating the Human Research Facility racks. This experience allowed her to develop valuable expertise in operating space systems under real conditions, a skill she now applies to the Artemis program.
The Artemis program aims to send astronauts to the Moon as early as 2028, with the goal of establishing a sustainable human presence and exploring new lunar regions. The Blue Moon Mark 2 module, under Katie Spicer’s supervision, will play a central role in these ambitions by ensuring safe crew transport between lunar orbit and the surface.
