NASA Reveals Its Plans to Build a Landing Site on the South Side of the Moon

NASA finally gave in details of his divisional plan to form the first the base of the moon south of the moon. Although the construction of a space probe that will allow permanent human presence will take at least a decade, the missions that will establish its technical and symbolic foundations will begin in the next few years. Among them is the test of History of Blue Origin Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander, scheduled for late 2026.

The Moon Base project replaced it Gateway programthe same orbital station as International Space Station which would be like a point between the Earth and the moon. In early 2026, NASA it rethought and simplified its approach: It decided to focus more on the moon, reduce operational costs and speed up the Artemis system. After weeks of silence, the agency released its new plans.

Lunar Base in 3 Steps

Currently, the moon base system consists of three parts. The first, from 2026 to 2029, will be dedicated to robotic research and testing. In this phase, NASA and its private partners will test the technologies needed for future missions.

According to the latest press conference, the first phase will be very active: at least 25 missions and 21 landings. Without detailing specific dates, the agency said that over the next three years it will send rovers, including human prototypes that will be flown in the future, drones, reactors, new generation satellites, and payloads to repair space.

One of the most important tasks will be the exam Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance module in the fall of 2026. Its purpose is to evaluate the conditions of the controlled descent and verify the technology of navigation and location. It will not carry astronauts. If the mission goes well, Blue Origin is planning a human race around 2028, possibly with the Blue Moon Mark 2.

The Moon Base II and III missions are also part of the launch program for 2026. One will send rovers and payloads to test how the rovers work; the other will carry scientific equipment to study weapon systems and systems on the ground the dangers of the moon.

The second phase, starting in 2029, will see the start of limited meetings and the first residential operations. NASA is planning to install the most advanced power systems, including surface reactors, manned base stations, and high-performance communications systems. Up to 60 tons of cargo will be sent in 24 missions during this period.

The first and second phases of NASA’s Moon Base program are envisioned for ground testing, cargo delivery, and base installation.

Courtesy of NASA