NASA Pivots Artemis Program Toward Building Permanent Base on the Moon

By Jason Nelson

NASA is shifting the focus of its Artemis Moon program toward building a permanent base on the lunar surface.

The agency said on Tuesday the change reflects a broader strategy to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon as a “foundation for an enduring lunar base and the next step toward Mars.”

During a presentation at the NASA “Ignition” event in Washington, D.C., NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the space agency is placing greater emphasis on surface operations to support technology testing, scientific research, and preparation for Mars missions.

“Shifting NASA workforce priority to the surface has advantages for safety, technology demonstration, and science,” Isaacman said. “The surface is really the proving ground for future Mars initiatives.”

Under the revised plan, NASA will pause development of the orbiting Gateway station and redirect funding and engineering resources toward lunar surface infrastructure. However, Isaacman said the move “does not preclude revisiting the orbital outpost in the future.”

Three phases

In phase one, the agency will shift from infrequent lunar missions to a repeatable approach using the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and the Lunar Terrain Vehicle initiative. Robotic landings will deliver rovers, instruments, and technology demonstrations to test mobility, power systems, communications, navigation, and other surface operations.

“We will dramatically expand lunar landings through the CLPS and LTV programs, delivering rovers, instruments, and technology payloads,” Isaacman said. Phase one, he added, is about “moving from infrequent, bespoke efforts to a templated approach that will generate significant learning through experimentation.”

In phase two, NASA plans to deploy semi-habitable infrastructure and routine logistics to support regular astronaut operations on the Moon.

Canada, Italy, and Japan will contribute to building the lunar base, including the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s pressurized rover, Italy’s multi-purpose habitation module, and Canada’s Lunar Utility Vehicle.

In phase three, NASA will deliver heavier infrastructure needed to sustain a long-term human presence on the Moon as cargo-capable landing systems come online, the agency said.

“The moon base will not appear overnight,” Isaacman said. “We will invest approximately $20 billion over the next seven years and build it through dozens of missions, working together with commercial and international partners toward a deliberate and achievable plan.”

Beyond its Moon operation, NASA said it plans to launch Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear-powered spacecraft, to Mars by 2028. The mission aims to test nuclear electric propulsion, which officials say is needed to transport heavy cargo to deep-space destinations where solar power is limited.

NASA’s announcement comes as a new space race ramps up, with companies such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX pursuing their own missions to the Moon and Mars.

Last year, Musk said the company planned to launch its massive Starship rocket to Mars by the end of 2026, carrying Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots.

The shift also alters NASA’s upcoming flight plans. Artemis III, originally scheduled for 2024, is now planned for 2027. Artemis IV, which would follow in 2028, is billed as “humanity’s return to the lunar surface” and would launch with a crewed lunar landing.

After Artemis V, NASA said it plans to transition to sending crews to the Moon twice a year.

“The goal is not just to reach the Moon, but to stay,” the White House wrote on X, adding that America “will never give up the Moon again.”

NASA did not immediately respond to Decrypt’s Request for comment.

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