NASA set to reveal moon base plan with 81 launch missions

NEW DELHI: Nasa is preparing for its Moon base strategy, bringing the prospect of a permanent human settlement on the Moon a step closer as the agency pushes ahead with its Artemis programme and long-term Mars ambitions.The US space agency is set to hold the briefing about the mission on Tuesday, May 26, at 2pm EDT (11.30pm IST) from its headquarters in Washington. Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman will lead the session alongside Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator of the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, and Carlos García-Galán, programme executive for Moon base.The Moon base is expected to be a key stepping stone for eventual human missions to Mars. Nasais expected to share further details of the lunar outpost project, programme milestones, upcoming Artemis missions and new commercial industry partnerships.Permanent Moon base planned at lunar South PoleNasa first revealed its Moon base vision during the agency’s “Ignition” event on March 24 when Isaacman announced plans to establish a permanent human presence in the Moon’s South Pole region.The lunar South Pole has emerged as the preferred site because scientists believe permanently shadowed craters there contain large reserves of water ice. Nasa sees the resource as critical for sustaining future astronauts, producing drinking water and potentially generating rocket fuel for deeper space missions.Three-phase roadmap for lunar settlementThe Moon base programme has been divided into three major phases aimed at gradually expanding human activity on the lunar surface.Phase 1: Surface access and scoutingThe first phase will involve 25 launches and 21 Moon landings, carrying around 4,000 kilograms of payload. The primary goal is to establish reliable access to the lunar surface and identify suitable landing and construction zones for the base.Phase 2: First crewed Moon base missionsThe second phase will scale up operations with 27 launches and 24 landings, delivering nearly 60,000 kilograms of cargo. Nasa plans to begin the first crewed Moon base missions during this stage, with astronauts visiting the outpost twice a year.Phase 3: Continuous human presenceThe final phase envisions 29 launches and 28 landings carrying roughly 1,50,000 kilograms of payload. The goal is to maintain a continuous human presence on the Moon, effectively turning the outpost into a functioning lunar settlement.The Moon base announcement follows the successful completion of Artemis II, Nasa’s first crewed mission around the Moon in more than 50 years.Nasa has since modified parts of the Artemis roadmap. Artemis III has now been redesigned as a low-Earth orbit demonstration mission focused on docking and rendezvous tests involving commercial lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin. The agency is developing SR-1 Freedom, a nuclear-powered spacecraft intended for deep-space travel, along with robotic helicopters designed to scout potential Martian landing zones for future astronauts.