NASA hosts workshops and webinars to gather stakeholder input on and grow understanding of the agency’s human exploration architecture. Below are recordings and resources from past events.
2026 | Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops – Presentations
Industry and Academia
Selected charts from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop for industry and academia held in Washington, DC, on January 21 and 22 at the National Academy of Sciences. (PDF)
International Partners
Selected charts from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop for international partners co-hosted Rome on February 24 and 25. (PDF)
2026 | Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops – International Partner Posters
Australian Space Agency
International partner poster from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop co-hosted by the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Italy. Hosted here with partner permission. (PDF)
CNES (France)
International partner poster from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop co-hosted by the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Italy. Hosted here with partner permission. (PDF)
European Space Agency
International partner poster from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop co-hosted by the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Italy. Hosted here with partner permission. (PDF)
GISTDA (Thailand)
International partner poster from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop co-hosted by the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Italy. Hosted here with partner permission. (PDF)
Italian Space Agency
International partner poster from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop co-hosted by the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Italy. Hosted here with partner permission. (PDF)
Korea AeroSpace Administration
Explore hands-on activities, interactive, lesson plans, educator guides, and other downloadable content about this topic.
Luxembourg Space Agency
International partner poster from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop co-hosted by the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Italy. Hosted here with partner permission. (PDF)
United Kingdom Space Agency
International partner poster from the 2026 Moon to Mars Architecture workshop co-hosted by the Italian Space Agency in Rome, Italy. Hosted here with partner permission. (PDF)
February 2025 | Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops for International Partners
Architecture Updates
An overview of recent updates to NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture and background for the 2025 Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops for international partners. (PDF)
Architecture 101
An introduction to NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture process and products. (PDF)
Panels and Roundtables
A presentation overviewing panels and roundtables offered at the 2025 Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops for international partners. (PDF)
Foundational Exploration Gaps
Highlights technology and capability gaps for the Foundational Exploration segment of NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture. (PDF)
Moon to Mars Program Office Updates
An overview of recent progress on the Artemis program by NASA's Moon to Mars Program Office. (PDF)
International Partnerships
Identifies and elucidates paths to partnership for international partnerships. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Mars Surface Power
Briefing about NASA's selection of nuclear fission as the primary surface power generation technology for initial human missions to Mars. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Mars Crew Complement
Briefing about some key considerations when selecting a crew complement for human missions to Mars. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Exploration Enables Science
Briefing about the ways in which crewed exploration can enable NASA's mission of science and discovery. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Logistics, Mobility, and Cargo
Briefing about key considerations and needs for lunar cargo, mobility, and logistics solutions to enable exploration. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Architecture-Driven Technology Gaps
Briefing about architecture-driven technology gaps that NASA released in an appendix to the most recent edition of the Architecture Definition Document. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing
Briefing about challenges and technology development for Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) systems. (PDF)
February 2025 | Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops for Industry and Academia
Architecture Updates
An overview of recent updates to NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture and background for the 2025 Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops for Industry and Academia. (PDF)
Architecture 101
An introduction to NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture process and products. (PDF)
Foundational Exploration Gaps
Highlights technology and capability gaps for the Foundational Exploration segment of NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture. (PDF)
Moon to Mars Program Office Updates
An overview of recent progress on the Artemis program by NASA's Moon to Mars Program Office. (PDF)
Paths to Partnership
A presentation highlighting paths to partnership on NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture from representatives of NASA mission directorates and the Office of Procurement. (PDF)
Panel and Roundtable Discussions
A presentation overviewing panels and roundtables offered at the 2025 Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops for Industry and Academia. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Mars Surface Power
Briefing about NASA's selection of nuclear fission as the primary surface power generation technology for initial human missions to Mars. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Mars Crew Complement
Briefing about some key considerations when selecting a crew complement for human missions to Mars. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Exploration Enables Science
Briefing about the ways in which crewed exploration can enable NASA's mission of science and discovery. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Lunar Mobility and Logistics
Briefing about key considerations and needs for lunar cargo, mobility, and logistics solutions to enable exploration. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Architecture-Driven Technology Gaps
Briefing about architecture-driven technology gaps that NASA released in an appendix to the most recent edition of the Architecture Definition Document. (PDF)
February 2024 | Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops
Architecture Overview and Updates
An overview of NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture and recent updates to the architecture. (PDF)
Moon to Mars Program Office Updates
An overview of recent progress on the Artemis program by NASA's Moon to Mars Program Office. (PDF)
Mission Directorate Panel
A panel including architecture contributions by NASA's Exploration Systems Development, Science, Space Technology, and Space Operations Mission Directorates. (PDF)
Breakout Session: Element Initiation
A breakout session describing the process by which new elements are introduced into NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture. (PDF)
Breakout Session: Foundational Exploration
A breakout session discussing the Foundational Exploration segment of NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture. (PDF)
Breakout Session: Technology and Infrastructure
A breakout session discussing technology and infrastructure aspects of NASA's Moon to Mars Architecture. (PDF)
Breakout Session: Mars Science and Architecture
A breakout session discussing Mars science and architecture. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Human Health and Performance
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white paper on human health and performance. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Mars Decisions
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white paper on key Mars architecture decisions. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Mars Challenges
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white papers on the challenges of human Mars missions. (PDF)
Animation: Chasing Mars #1
Example 850-day and 980-day Earth-Mars-Earth trajectories for 2039 mission opportunity. (MP4)
Animation: Chasing Mars #2
Example 980-day Earth-Mars-Earth trajectory for 2039 mission opportunity. (MP4)
Animation: Chasing Mars #3
Example 850-day Earth-Mars-Earth trajectory for 2039 mission opportunity. (MP4)
Animation: Mars Abort #1
Ballistic Mars abort on mission day 75 during 850-day rountrip mission. (MP4)
Animation: Mars Abort #2
Hybrid Mars abort on mission day 30 during 850-day rountrip mission. (MP4)
White Paper Briefing: Space Station Lessons Learned
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white paper on exploration lessons learned from the International Space Station. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Lunar Logistics
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white paper on lunar logistics needs and considerations. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: In-Site Analysis vs. Sample Return
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white paper comparing the benefits of in-situ analysis of lunar samples and lunar sample return. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Surface EVA Drivers
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white paper on the considerations that drive lunar extravehicular activities. (PDF)
White Paper Briefing: Lunar Site Selection
An overview of the 2023 Architecture Concept Review white paper on selecting landing sites for NASA's Artemis program. (PDF)
Animation: Lunar South Pole Illumination
This visualization shows the unusual motions of the Earth and Sun as viewed from a location near the South Pole of the Moon.
Animation: Moon Seasons
In this visualization, the monthly rotation of the Moon has been frozen at full moon in order to highlight the small difference in axial tilt at South Pole summer and winter.
Animation: The Sun's Path at Different Lunar Latitudes
This visualization compares Sun views from four latitudes on the Moon over the course of a lunar day.
June 2023 | Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops
Architecture Process Overview
A presentation explaining the architecture process, wherein NASA decomposes Moon to Mars objectives into needed exploration elements. (PDF)
Mission Directorate Panel
A presentation from a panel presentation by organizations key to the development and implementation of NASA's Moon to Mars architecture. (PDF)
Breakout Session: ACR Products
A presentation outlining products released as part of NASA's architecture concept review (ACR) process. (PDF)
Breakout Session: Human Lunar Return
A presentation for a breakout session on the human lunar return segment of the Moon to Mars architecture. (PDF)
Breakout Session: Science Objectives Progress
A presentation for a breakout session on progress made on the science objectives of the Moon to Mars architecture. (PDF)
Breakout Session: Technology Infrastructure
A presentation for a breakout session on progress made on the technology infrastructure for the Moon to Mars architecture. (PDF)
White Paper Presentation: Systems Analysis of Architectural Drivers
A presentation meant to explain the 2022 architecture concept review white paper entitled, "Systems Analysis of Architectural Drivers." (PDF)
White Paper Presentation: Mars-Forward Capabilities at the Moon
A presentation meant to explain the 2022 architecture concept review white paper entitled, "Mars-Forward Capabilities to be Tested at the Moon." (PDF)
White Paper Presentation: Why Artemis Will Focus on the Lunar South Pole
A presentation meant to explain the 2022 architecture concept review white paper entitled, "Why Artemis Will Focus on the Lunar South Pole Region." (PDF)
Animation: Apollo Landing Sites
This visualization shows the landing sites for Apollo Moon missions.
Animation: South Pole 2026
These visualizations simulate lighting at the lunar South Pole between 2025 and 2028 at two-hour intervals.
Animation: Viewing Earth and the Sun from the Lunar South Pole
This visualization shows the unusual motions of the Earth and Sun as viewed from the South Pole of the Moon.
White Paper Presentation: NRHO – The Artemis Orbit
A presentation meant to explain the 2022 architecture concept review white paper entitled, "Why NRHO: The Artemis Orbit." (PDF)
Animation: L2 Family Halo
An animation showing the family of Earth-Moon Lagrange point 2 halo orbits, including near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO).
Animation: NRHO Gravity Well
An animation showing near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO) within the Moon's gravity well.
Animation: NRHO – Three Views
An animation showing three views of near-rectilinear halo orbit (NRHO): Sun-Earth rotating view, Earth-Moon rotating-pulsing view, and Moon-centered inertial view.
White Paper Presentation: Gateway – The Cislunar Springboard
A presentation meant to explain the 2022 architecture concept review white paper entitled, "Gateway: The Cislunar Springboard for International and Sustainable Deep Space Exploration." (PDF)
White Paper Presentation: Mars Transportation
A presentation meant to explain the 2022 architecture concept review white paper entitled, "Mars Transportation." (PDF)
Animation: Chasing Mars
An animation showing an example trajectory representing the trade space between high and low energy mission opportunities.
May 2023 | Moon to Mars Architecture Webinar for U.S. Industry and Academia
Webinar Briefing Package
The charts briefed in a one-hour webinar given in May, 2023, where NASA shared the architecture development process and status. (PDF)
Webinar Recording
A recording of a one-hour webinar given in May, 2023, where NASA shared the architecture development process and status.
