NASA has announced a significant shift in its Artemis Moon program, moving away from an orbiting station toward establishing a permanent base on the lunar surface. The agency described the change as part of a broader strategy to build a sustained human presence on the Moon, which it calls a foundation for an enduring lunar base and a stepping stone toward Mars. The announcement was made during NASA’s “Ignition” event in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the revised approach places greater emphasis on surface operations to support technology testing, scientific research, and preparation for crewed Mars missions. “Shifting NASA workforce priority to the surface has advantages for safety, technology demonstration, and science,” Isaacman said. He described the lunar surface as “the proving ground for future Mars initiatives.” As part of the change, development of the orbiting Gateway station will be paused, with funding and engineering resources redirected toward lunar surface infrastructure, though Isaacman noted the move does not rule out revisiting the orbital outpost later.
The plan is structured in three phases. In the first phase, NASA will move away from infrequent missions toward a repeatable model using the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and the Lunar Terrain Vehicle initiative. Robotic landings will deliver rovers, instruments, and technology payloads to test mobility, power systems, communications, and navigation. Isaacman described this phase as transitioning from “infrequent, bespoke efforts to a templated approach that will generate significant learning through experimentation.”
Phase two involves deploying semi-habitable infrastructure and establishing routine logistics to support regular astronaut operations on the Moon. International partners will play a key role in constructing the base, with Canada, Italy, and Japan each contributing components. These include the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency‘s pressurized rover, Italy’s multi-purpose habitation module, and Canada’s Lunar Utility Vehicle. Phase three will see the delivery of heavier infrastructure needed to sustain a long-term human presence as cargo-capable landing systems become available.
Isaacman said the lunar base will be built gradually through dozens of missions over many years. “The moon base will not appear overnight,” he said, adding that NASA plans to invest approximately $20 billion over the next seven years in partnership with commercial and international partners. The agency said that after Artemis V, it intends to send crews to the Moon twice a year on a routine basis.
The announcement also affects the timeline for upcoming Artemis flights. Artemis III, originally scheduled for 2024, is now planned for 2027. Artemis IV, set for 2028, is described as “humanity’s return to the lunar surface” and would include a crewed lunar landing. The White House commented on the announcement via X, writing that “the goal is not just to reach the Moon, but to stay,” and that America “will never give up the Moon again.”
Separately, NASA said it plans to launch Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear-powered spacecraft, to Mars by 2028. The mission is intended to test nuclear electric propulsion, which officials say is necessary for transporting heavy cargo to deep-space destinations where solar power is limited. The announcement comes as competition in space intensifies, with SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, pursuing its own lunar and Mars ambitions, including plans to launch its Starship rocket to Mars by the end of 2026 carrying Tesla‘s Optimus humanoid robots.
Originally reported by Decrypt.
