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

NASA announced the first phase of its moon base plans in Cape Canaveral, Florida, awarding contracts to four U.S. companies less than two months after the Artemis II mission. Blue Origin, Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, and Firefly Aerospace will provide lunar terrain vehicles and drones for the moon’s south pole, with deliveries planned before Artemis III’s crewed landing in 2028. The contracts include two landers from Blue Origin to transport rovers built by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost, while Firefly Aerospace will deliver drones to the lunar surface. These vehicles are intended to arrive ahead of the Artemis III mission, which will test Orion capsule docking with lunar landers developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. NASA targets Artemis III for mid-2027, with a crewed lunar landing as early as 2028. The moon base will expand in phases: the first phase focuses on hardware delivery, the second (2029–early 2030s) builds infrastructure like a power grid, and the third phase will establish permanent habitats for extended astronaut stays in the 2030s. The base will span hundreds of square miles, with drones called MoonFall marking its perimeter to respect other nations’ lunar activities. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman emphasized the goal of fostering a lunar economy, advancing scientific research, and preparing for future Mars expeditions. Carlos Garcia-Galan, NASA’s moon base program executive, stated the base will eventually support long-term human presence. Isaacman added that NASA will accelerate progress, with the Artemis program marking a return to sustained lunar exploration.