NASA's Moon Base Plans Begin With Three Missions, Starting Fall 2026
NASA has unveiled plans for a permanent lunar base at the Moon's South Pole, starting with three dedicated Moon Base missions to be launched this year as part of a broader initiative that will eventually include "more than a dozen" missions.
The first mission, Moon Base I, is slated to launch "no earlier than fall 2026" and will utilize Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander to deliver NASA payloads to the lunar surface. These payloads include the Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies instrument and the Laser Retroreflective Array.
According to NASA, these instruments will be used to study how thrusters interact with the Moon's surface, providing critical data for future missions. The South Pole region has been chosen due to its potential for sustained sunlight for power generation and the possible presence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters.
These initial missions are designed to support the crewed Artemis lunar landing currently planned for 2028, marking a significant step toward NASA's goal of establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon.