NASA is moving ahead with ambitious plans to build a permanent base on the Moon as part of its Artemis programme. The US space agency wants humans not only to land on the lunar surface again but also to live and work there for long periods in the future.

To support the project, NASA has awarded contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to several American companies for robotic landers, moon vehicles, drones, and other infrastructure needed for the lunar outpost.

NASA Reveals Moon Base Vision

NASA released new details on May 26 about its long-term Moon base project. The agency plans to develop a permanent outpost near the Moon’s south pole using robotic systems, lunar vehicles, and hopping drones.

“The Moon base will be America’s and humanity’s first outpost on another celestial world,” NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said during a press conference.

NASA awarded major contracts to four US companies. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, received a $188 million contract to develop two landers that will carry moon buggies to the lunar surface.

The lunar vehicles will be developed by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost. Meanwhile, Firefly Aerospace will build spacecraft that can transport drones from Earth’s orbit to the Moon under the MoonFall mission. NASA hopes these systems will be ready before Artemis astronauts return to the Moon, possibly by 2028.

Long-Term Moon Base Plan

NASA aims to build a large lunar base spread across hundreds of square miles near the Moon’s south pole. The base will include habitats, power systems, laboratories, transport vehicles, and research facilities. Astronauts could stay there for weeks or even months at a time.

NASA’s Moon base programme executive, Carlos Garcia-Galan, said drones known as MoonFall will monitor the perimeter of the lunar base. According to NASA officials, these systems will help avoid interference with spacecraft or equipment from other countries operating nearby.

Three Phases Of The Artemis Moon Programme

NASA plans to build the lunar base in three major phases over the next decade. The first phase focuses on landing astronauts and deploying robotic systems near the Moon’s south pole.

Under the planned Artemis III mission next year, astronauts will practise docking NASA’s Orion capsule in Earth’s orbit. Crew landers are being developed by SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, and Blue Origin. NASA expects Artemis IV astronauts could land on the Moon by 2028.

“For those waiting patiently, the grand return is close at hand and we will not slow down,” Isaacman said. “We are really just getting started.”

The second phase, expected between the late 2020s and early 2030s, will focus on building infrastructure such as power systems, transport networks, and technologies to extract resources from the Moon. The third phase, expected after 2032, aims to create more advanced permanent housing where humans can live on a semi-permanent basis.

“Then we’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, we’re permanently here, and we’re not giving it up,’” Garcia-Galan said.

Why NASA Wants a Permanent Moon Base

NASA sees the Moon as an important training ground for future human missions to Mars. Scientists and astronauts will use the lunar base to test habitats, survival systems, and deep-space technologies before attempting longer missions to Mars.

The Moon base could also help the United States conduct scientific research, mine valuable resources, and strengthen its position in the growing global space race.

The Moon’s south pole is especially important because scientists believe it contains frozen water. That water could eventually provide drinking water, oxygen, and even rocket fuel for future missions.

Global Space Race Intensifies

The United States also faces growing competition from China in lunar exploration. China plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030 and develop its own International Lunar Research Station with Russia during the 2030s.

Earlier this year, Elon Musk said SpaceX has temporarily shifted more focus toward building a self-sustaining city on the Moon rather than Mars.

“For those unaware, SpaceX has already shifted focus to building a self-growing city on the moon, as we can potentially achieve that in less than 10 years, whereas Mars would take 20+ years,” Musk wrote on X in February.

However, NASA’s Moon programme still depends heavily on SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System, which is designed to transport astronauts safely to the lunar surface. The spacecraft has faced several technical setbacks and delays so far.