In a step toward starting up a permanent human presence beyond Earth, NASA has announced plans to develop a Moon base.
The base will be a long-term lunar habitat where astronauts will live and work on their science missions.
The event will feature NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, acting associate administrator Lori Glaze and Moon Base programme executive Carlos Garcia-Galan.
NASA Moon Base will serve as a habitat where astronauts live and work during long-term science missions.”We’re building a Moon Base!
Phase 3 envisions a fully operational Moon Base with a continuous human presence on the lunar surface.
In a step toward starting up a permanent human presence beyond Earth, NASA has announced plans to develop a Moon base. The base will be a long-term lunar habitat where astronauts will live and work on their science missions. The US space agency said the initiative is aimed at supporting sustained exploration, scientific research and commercial activity at the Lunar South Pole, while also laying the groundwork for future crewed missions to Mars.
NASA will host a media briefing at 2 pm EDT on May 26 (11:30 pm IST) at its headquarters in Washington to unveil details of the Moon Base programme, mission architecture, industry partnerships and infrastructure roadmap. The event will feature NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, acting associate administrator Lori Glaze and Moon Base programme executive Carlos Garcia-Galan.
In a post on X, NASA said, “We’re building a Moon Base! NASA Moon Base will serve as a habitat where astronauts live and work during long-term science missions.”
We’re building a Moon Base!
@NASAMoonBase will serve as a habitat where astronauts live and work during long-term science missions. Join us at 2pm ET on Tuesday, May 26, for a live news event where we’ll share updates on our lunar exploration plans: https://t.co/IJXA7xYwju pic.twitter.com/jAnkXDg3NY — NASA (@NASA) May 20, 2026
The Moon Base initiative forms a central part of NASA’s broader Artemis Program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon and establish a sustainable lunar presence for the first time since the Apollo era.
Moon Base to be developed in three phases
According to NASA, the lunar habitat will be developed through a phased implementation strategy beginning with small-scale technology demonstrations and gradually expanding into inhabited lunar outpost.
Phase 1 will focus on achieving access to the lunar surface and testing critical technologies needed for long-term habitation. NASA plans 25 launches and 21 lunar landings during this stage, delivering around 4,000 kg of payload to the Moon. The phase will include experriments, technology demonstrations to identify landing sites for the future base. NASA will also carry out the first crewed Moon Base mission and increase the payload capability of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) programme to five metric tonnes.
Phase 2 will focus on building the initial lunar infrastructure and expanding operational capabilities on the Moon’s surface. NASA has outlined 27 launches and 24 landings in this stage, with nearly 60,000 kg of payload expected to reach the lunar surface. NASA plans to begin semi-annual crewed missions, carry out regolith manipulation and site preparation activities and continue scaling up infrastructure needed for operations.
Phase 3 envisions a fully operational Moon Base with a continuous human presence on the lunar surface. NASA plans 29 launches and 28 landings during this phase, transporting nearly 150,000 kg of payload to the Moon. The agency will further increase CLPS payload capability to eight metric tonnes and introduce uncrewed cargo return systems to support long-term lunar habitation and scientific operations.
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Environmental challenges at lunar South Pole
Alongside its phased implementation plan, NASA said the project faces environmental and engineering challenges due to the harsh conditions at the lunar South Pole.
Unlike the equatorial regions explored during the Apollo missions, the lunar South Pole experiences lighting, with the Sun remaining low on the horizon and casting long shadows across the surface. According to NASA, these conditions could disrupt solar power generation and expose systems to an extended period of darkness and extreme cold. The agency said future Moon Base systems, operational plans and infrastructure will need to withstand these demanding conditions, including surviving the long lunar night and operating in permanently shadowed regions.
NASA said the South Pole was selected because of its strategic, scientific and economic potential, despite the region’s difficult terrain. The area contains high mountains, deep craters and highly uneven landscapes that pose serious mobility and engineering challenges for astronauts and robotic systems.
NASA also noted that future lunar vehicles and robotic systems will need to navigate steep crater walls and permanently shadowed regions to access frozen water and other resources believed to exist beneath the surface. NASA and its partners are expected to develop advanced mobility systems capable of descending into deep craters, collecting scientific samples, prospecting for resources and supporting in-situ resource utilisation activities that could help sustain long-term human presence on the Moon.
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It also said the initiative is part of a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration with astronauts expected to take on lunar missions focused on scientific discovery, economic opportunities and preparations for human exploration of Mars.
The event will be streamed live on NASA+ and the agency’s YouTube channel.
