NASA Details Its Plan to Build a Lunar Base at the Moon’s South Pole
Key takeaways
- The Moon Base project replaced in priority the Gateway program, an orbital station similar to the International Space Station that would serve as a node between the Earth and the moon.
- So far, the plan for the lunar base consists of three phases.
- According to a recent press conference, phase one will be particularly active: at least 25 missions and 21 surface landings.
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NASA's concept for a lunar base that it plans to build over the next few years.Courtesy of NASAComment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story NASA finally presented the details of its phased plan to create the first lunar base at the moon’s south pole. Although the construction of a space research center that will allow a sustained human presence will take at least a decade, the missions that will lay its technological and symbolic foundations will start in the next few years. Among them is the test of Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander, scheduled for the end of 2026.
The Moon Base project replaced in priority the Gateway program, an orbital station similar to the International Space Station that would serve as a node between the Earth and the moon. At the beginning of 2026, NASA rethought and simplified its strategy: It decided to concentrate resources on the lunar surface, reducing operating costs and accelerating the Artemis schedule. After weeks of silence, the agency published its new plan.
So far, the plan for the lunar base consists of three phases. The first, from 2026 to 2029, will be dedicated to robotic exploration and experimentation missions. In this phase, NASA and its private partners will test the technologies needed for future manned missions.