Washington: The United States is preparing for a major return to lunar exploration, with NASA unveiling an ambitious multi-billion-dollar strategy aimed at creating humanity’s first long-term settlement on the moon.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a three-stage programme designed to establish a permanent lunar base capable of supporting scientific research, astronaut missions and future deep-space operations.
The proposed initiative, estimated to cost nearly USD 20 billion, includes the deployment of advanced lunar vehicles, robotic systems and experimental technologies intended to help humans survive and operate in the moon’s harsh environment.
Calling the project a historic step for space exploration, Isaacman said the lunar base would become “humanity’s first outpost beyond Earth.”
NASA plans to send astronauts back to the lunar surface in 2028 under the Artemis programme. The agency recently completed a successful lunar flyby mission, strengthening momentum for its long-term moon strategy.
As part of the first phase, NASA has selected Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander for the Moon Base-I mission, targeted for launch no earlier than September this year. The mission will transport scientific instruments and technology demonstrations to the moon’s Shackleton Connecting Ridge region.
Among the payloads are stereo camera systems designed to study how rocket thrusters affect lunar dust and terrain during landing. NASA will also send laser reflector technology that can improve spacecraft navigation by using reflected laser signals.
Officials said these experiments are crucial for reducing risks ahead of future crewed Artemis landings.
The second planned mission, Moon Base-II, is expected later this year and will use Astrobotic’s Griffin lander to deliver more than 1,100 pounds of cargo to the moon. The mission will also carry Astrolab’s FLIP rover, which is expected to help engineers study mobility systems for future astronaut transport vehicles on the lunar surface.
Meanwhile, the Moon Base-III mission will focus heavily on science. NASA’s Lunar Vertex project will investigate unusual bright formations known as lunar swirls, mysterious patterns scientists believe could be linked to underground magnetic activity. The mission will also include contributions from the European Space Agency and the Korean space programme.
NASA’s broader roadmap is divided into three major phases extending over the next decade.
The first stage, lasting until 2028, will focus on testing technology, transporting equipment and preparing the lunar surface for human activity. Astronauts participating in the Artemis-III mission are expected to use specially designed lunar terrain vehicles during this period.
The second phase, running from 2029 to 2032, aims to establish permanent infrastructure on the moon, including a functioning power grid and expanded operational systems.
Beyond 2032, NASA hopes to transition into continuous lunar operations with regular astronaut rotations and sustained scientific activity.
According to moon base programme executive Carlos Garcia-Galan, the long-term goal is to ensure a permanent human presence on the moon rather than short-duration visits.
NASA’s renewed lunar ambitions come more than five decades after the final Apollo mission. In April, astronauts aboard the Artemis-II mission completed a flyaround of the moon, marking the first crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, when astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt became the last humans to walk on the lunar surface.
