NASA planning $20B moon base

NASA will invest $20 billion over the next seven years to build a base on the surface of the moon, putting plans for a space station that would orbit it on hold, the agency’s new head announced on Tuesday.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who assumed the role in January, unveiled the project as part of the agency’s “Ignition” event on Tuesday, in which he and other senior officials outlined multiple initiatives aimed at landing on the moon by the end of 2028.

“It should not really surprise anyone that we are pausing gateway in its current form and focusing on infrastructure that supports sustained operations on the lunar surface,” Isaacman told attendees, referring to the change in priorities.

“Despite some of the very real hardware and scheduled challenges, we can repurpose equipment and international partner commitments to support surface and other program objectives.”

Proposed in 2018, the Lunar Gateway station was envisioned as a key element of NASA’s Artemis program, supporting scientific research around the moon and eventually serving as a pit stop for astronauts traveling to and from the lunar surface.

NASA is preparing to launch its Artemis II SLS rocket into space as early as next week, with four astronauts on board for a 10-day journey around the moon and back.

“As we move forward, we intend to launch Artemis III in 2027 to test the integrated operations of Orion and one or both lunar landers in Earth orbit,” Isaacman said. “What we learn from that mission will ideally give us the confidence to begin lunar landing attempts, starting with Artemis IV in 2028.”

NASA’s revamped initiatives come after China announced in October that it was on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, challenging the U.S.’s position as the world leader in space exploration.

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