CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA is moving fast on its moon base ambitions, awarding hundreds of millions in contracts just weeks after the Artemis II mission set a new distance record for lunar flyarounds. The space agency on Tuesday detailed the first phase of its plan, tapping four U.S. companies to deliver key hardware to the lunar south pole.
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will supply two landers to transport moon buggies—built by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost—to the surface. Firefly Aerospace, which successfully landed on the moon last year, will deliver the first lunar drones. All this gear is slated to arrive before the first Artemis astronauts touch down, currently penciled in for as early as 2028.
The Artemis II mission in April saw four astronauts fly deeper into space than Apollo crews, circling the moon. Next up is Artemis III, now targeting mid-2027, where astronauts will practice docking NASA’s Orion capsule with crewed landers being developed by Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX. A two-person landing could follow in 2028.
Phase two, spanning 2029 into the early 2030s, will focus on building permanent infrastructure, including a power grid. The third phase—expected sometime in the 2030s—aims to establish specialized habitats for extended stays. “Then we’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, we’re permanently here and we’re not giving it up,’” said Carlos Garcia-Galan, NASA’s moon base program executive.
Garcia-Galan envisions a base sprawling over hundreds of square miles, with a perimeter marked by drones dubbed MoonFall stationed at the corners. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman called the territory markers a gesture of respect for other nations’ spacecraft and equipment, expecting reciprocity.
The moon base is designed to spur a lunar economy while advancing science and laying groundwork for a Mars mission, Isaacman stressed. “For those waiting patiently, the grand return is close at hand and we will not slow down,” he said. “We are really just getting started.”
These developments come amid broader political debates over space policy and federal spending. Meanwhile, as GOP pushes telemedicine and drones for rural health, NASA’s lunar drone program could have dual-use applications. And with White House planning grand celebrations for America’s 250th birthday, the moon base timeline aligns with a renewed focus on national achievement.
