Nasa lays out moon base plans with landers, buggies and drones at the top of the list

NASA has outlined the initial phase of its moon base plans, awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to four U.S. companies for essential equipment. Less than two months after the Artemis II lunar fly-around, the space agency is ordering landers, rovers, and drones. Blue Origin, Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, and Firefly Aerospace will supply these vehicles. Specifically, Blue Origin will provide landers to deliver moon buggies to the lunar surface near the south pole. These contracts signify NASA's concrete steps towards establishing a permanent presence on the Moon.

NASA is moving forward with plans for a moon base, awarding contracts to four U.S. companies for landers, rovers, and drones. Blue Origin will provide landers to deliver lunar terrain vehicles built by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to the moon's south pole. Firefly Aerospace will supply the first drones. This hardware is intended to arrive before the first Artemis astronauts land, targeted for as early as 2028. The base's development will occur in phases, with permanent infrastructure construction beginning in 2029 and specialized habitats expected in the 2030s. The ultimate goal is to establish a permanent presence, foster a lunar economy, conduct research, and support future Mars expeditions.

NASA has announced plans for three uncrewed lunar missions in 2026 to begin constructing a $20 billion moon base. Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, has been selected to conduct the first mission, receiving $230.4 million for its first two missions. This privately funded mission will utilize Blue Origin's Endurance lander to deliver scientific payloads to the moon's south pole. These missions are part of a broader strategy to establish an enduring lunar presence, with a base expected to have operating capability between 2029 and 2032. The initiative aims to leverage private partnerships to reduce costs and foster a space economy.

China plans significant advancements in its space exploration program this year, with the launch of the Chang'e-7 lunar probe targeting the Moon's south pole to search for water ice. This mission is part of Phase 4 of China's lunar exploration program, focusing on detailed surveying of the polar environment and resources. Looking further ahead, China is developing the Tianwen-3 mission for Mars sample return and the Tianwen-4 mission to explore Jupiter and its moons. Additionally, China's manned lunar program is progressing towards landing astronauts on the Moon before 2030, with key components like the Long March-10 rocket and new spacecraft in development.