Nasa has detailed a multi-year effort to establish a permanent base on the moon near its south pole. The announcement on 26 May outlined initial uncrewed missions starting later this year.
The agency plans three phases running through 2036. The first phase, ending in 2029, focuses on securing reliable access to the lunar surface. The second phase aims for initial operating capability by 2032, followed by construction of a base spanning hundreds of square kilometres in the final phase.
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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the Ignition initiative on March 24, canceling the Lunar Gateway orbiting station to focus on a $20 billion three-phase moon base on the lunar surface. The shift, echoing Trump administration budget proposals, supports frequent Artemis crewed landings amid competition from China and preparations for the first crewed Artemis mission with a launch window opening April 1.
NASA has awarded nearly $720 million in contracts for two one-ton South Pole rovers and their Blue Origin lander delivery, signaling a narrower focus than earlier full-scale base concepts.
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NASA announced new contract awards on Tuesday for the initial elements of a planned lunar base, including two rovers and their delivery to the Moon. The moves support the agency's Moon Base initiative ahead of a crewed return scheduled for no earlier than 2028.
NASA's Artemis II mission has reached day six, with its four-person crew nearing the far side of the moon. The spacecraft remains on track for a lunar flyby while the astronauts share images and videos of Earth. They are also testing systems for future missions and addressing a toilet issue.
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NASA released 22 photos on Tuesday from the Artemis II crew's historic lunar flyby on Monday, showcasing stunning views of the Moon and Earth. The White House shared images from the far side of the Moon, including the first such photo captured by the Orion spacecraft. The mission broke the record for the farthest distance traveled from Earth by humans.
NASA's Artemis II crew—commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen—is in quarantine at Kennedy Space Center, with the Space Launch System rocket returned to the pad after repairs. Launch opportunities open as early as April 1 for the first human lunar trip since 1972, featuring a flyby of the moon's far side.
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NASA announced on Tuesday that it will pause development of the Gateway lunar space station and repurpose its Power and Propulsion Element for SR-1 Freedom, a nuclear-electric propulsion demonstration mission to Mars launching before the end of 2028. The spacecraft will carry Skyfall helicopters to scout subsurface water ice and landing sites. Officials described the move as leveraging existing hardware to prove nuclear power in deep space.