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Moon Base

The Moon Base is humanity’s first lunar outpost, a place where astronauts will live, work, and explore near the Moon’s South Pole. Through a series of crewed and uncrewed missions, NASA and its partners will build the infrastructure needed to support an enduring human presence on the Moon, unlock new scientific discoveries, and prepare for future exploration of Mars.

Moon Base Development

NASA will establish the Moon Base in the lunar South Pole region through a phased, iterative approach that builds capability over time. By starting with near-term technology demonstrations, robotic missions, and early experiments, NASA and its partners can test systems, learn quickly, and steadily mature the capabilities required for continuous human presence on the Moon.

Phase One
Phase Two
Phase Three

Moon Base I

Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander, covered in gold thermal insulation, stands vertically inside a large processing facility beside a large American flag.
Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander Endurance
Blue Origin
  • Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander Endurance will travel to the Moon’s South Pole to demonstrate precision landing technologies. During the mission, Endurance will attempt a landing on the Shackleton Connecting Ridge while demonstrating autonomous guidance, navigation, and control, as well as cryogenic propulsion capabilities. These demonstrations will provide valuable operational experience and data to help reduce risk for future crewed missions to the Moon.
  • Endurance will carry two NASA-sponsored payloads.
    • The Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS) investigation, developed at NASA’s Langley Research Center, will capture high-resolution imagery before, during, and after landing to study how rocket engine plumes interact with the lunar surface. The observations will help engineers better understand how future landings could affect nearby spacecraft, equipment, and infrastructure.
    • The Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA), developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, will provide a precise reference point on the lunar surface, allowing scientists to accurately locate and track the lander.
  • As NASA works toward establishing the Moon Base, commercial partners will play an essential role in delivering science, infrastructure, equipment, and crews to the lunar surface. Organized through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, this mission represents an important step toward building a reliable commercial lunar transportation network while maturing the landing technologies needed to support future lunar exploration.

Moon Base II

Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lunar lander sits inside a clean room at the company’s facility. The lander is covered in dark solar panels and mounted on a wheeled test stand. Engineers in white clean-room attire work nearby, with the Astrobotic logo and a large American flag visible in the background.
This photo shows Voyager’s Griffin-1 lunar lander inside a clean room at a facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 15, 2026. The lander is being prepared for transport to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where it will undergo environmental testing ahead of its planned launch to the Moon in late 2026.
Astrobotic
  • Voyager’s Griffin-I lunar lander will deliver several NASA-sponsored payloads to the Moon’s South Pole region.
    • The Lunar Dust Level Sensor and Effects on Surfaces (LDES), developed by NASA’s Johnson Space Center, will measure how lunar dust accumulates on spacecraft and surface systems. The data will help engineers better understand one of the Moon’s most persistent challenges and design future hardware that can withstand the harsh lunar environment.
    • The Lunar LiDAR Demonstration, developed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, will test a laser-based mapping system capable of creating detailed three-dimensional maps of the surrounding landscape. By measuring the time it takes laser pulses to reflect back from the surface, the instrument will help demonstrate new ways to map and navigate the Moon.
    • Additional NASA payloads include two Laser Retroreflector Arrays (LRA), developed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, which will provide precise reference points for tracking and navigation, and the Moon Exploration for Titanium with Active Lighting (METAL) investigation, developed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in partnership with Interlune. METAL will study the abundance of helium-3 in the lunar regolith, helping scientists better understand the Moon’s resources and informing future in-situ resource utilization efforts.
  • As NASA works toward establishing the Moon Base, commercial partners will play an essential role in delivering science, infrastructure, equipment, and crews to the lunar surface. Organized through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, this mission enables the agency to gather critical data, test new technologies, and advance scientific discovery while supporting development of a reliable commercial lunar transportation network.

Moon Base III

An artist’s rendering of Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander descending toward the lunar surface
Intuitive Machines
  • Moon Base III will become the first mission to land at Reiner Gamma, one of the Moon’s most striking and enigmatic lunar swirls. Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Trinity lunar lander will deliver NASA-sponsored science and technology to this unique region, which coincides with one of the strongest magnetic anomalies ever discovered on the Moon.
  • Trinity will deliver two NASA-sponsored payloads to the Moon.
    • Lunar Vertex is the mission’s primary NASA-sponsored investigation. Managed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and selected through NASA’s PRISM initiative, the investigation will help scientists answer longstanding questions about lunar swirls.  
    • The Lunar Dust Level Sensor and Effects on Surfaces (LDES), developed by NASA’s Johnson Space Center, will measure how lunar dust accumulates on spacecraft and surface systems. The data will help engineers better understand one of the Moon’s most persistent challenges and design future hardware that can withstand the harsh lunar environment.
  • As NASA works toward establishing the Moon Base, commercial partners will play an essential role in delivering science, infrastructure, equipment, and crews to the lunar surface. Organized through NASA’s NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, this mission enables the agency to gather critical data, test new technologies, and advance scientific discovery while supporting development of a reliable commercial lunar transportation network.

VIPER

VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) undergoes testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in August 2024.
NASA/Helen Arase Vargas

Where is the Moon’s water hiding? NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) will explore the lunar South Pole to help answer that question, searching for and mapping water ice and other volatiles.

  • Scheduled to arrive at the lunar South Pole in late 2027 through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, VIPER will ride to the Moon aboard Blue Origin’s second Blue Moon MK1 lander currently in production. The mission highlights NASA’s approach of partnering with commercial industry to help accelerate exploration and expand our understanding of the Moon.
  • Built to navigate the challenging terrain of the lunar South Pole, VIPER is a robotic explorer equipped with a suite of science instruments and a 3.28-foot (1-meter) drill. As it travels across the surface, the rover will sample lunar soil at different depths and temperatures, searching for water ice and other volatiles hidden beneath the surface.
  • VIPER is designed to venture into permanently shadowed craters—regions so cold they have remained untouched by sunlight for billions of years. Scientists believe these icy pockets may preserve valuable clues about the Moon’s history and contain resources that could support future exploration. By mapping where these resources exist, what they’re made of, and how accessible they are, VIPER will become the first mission to create a resource map of another world.
  • The data gathered by VIPER will help NASA determine how lunar resources could support future explorers while also advancing scientific understanding of how water and other volatiles were distributed across the solar system. VIPER’s discoveries will help inform site planning, resource strategies, and the long-term sustainability of the Moon Base.

MoonFall

Artist's rendering depicting a box-shaped drone operating on the Moon.
Artist’s rendering of a MoonFall drone operating near the lunar South Pole.
NASA

Every great expedition begins with a map. NASA’s MoonFall mission will send four propulsive drones to survey the Moon’s South Pole region in unprecedented detail, creating terrain maps of potential landing sites.

  • Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MoonFall is targeted to arrive at the lunar South Pole in 2028. The drones will travel to the Moon aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Elytra spacecraft, which will deploy the four drones during descent to the surface. Building on the legacy of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, MoonFall will demonstrate a new way to explore the Moon from above.
  • After landing, each drone will operate independently, making multiple flights over the course of a single lunar day—about 14 Earth days. Equipped with high-definition cameras, the drones will capture detailed imagery and video of potential Artemis landing sites and other areas of interest, revealing the lunar South Pole landscape with a level of detail never before possible.
  • MoonFall’s Lunar Dashcam imaging system will create some of the highest-resolution digital terrain maps ever produced of the lunar South Pole. Additional science instruments will measure radiation levels, search for water ice beneath the surface, and provide precise positioning data to help scientists better understand one of the Moon’s most important regions.
  • Every flight will provide new information about the lunar South Pole, helping NASA reduce risk for future missions while refining the technologies, operations, and site planning needed to support future lunar exploration. The mission’s discoveries will help inform the long-term development of the Moon Base.

Lunar Terrain Vehicles

An artist's rendering of the front view of two astronauts in white spacesuits sitting inside a white unpressurized lunar terrain vehicle developed by Astrolab. A large display is centered between them and the headlights of the rover are on.
An artist’s rendering of Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle, or CLV-1, on the surface of the Moon.
Astrolab

Moon joy(rides), anyone? NASA has selected Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to provide the first fleet of lunar terrain vehicles that will help Artemis astronauts explore the Moon. Built for the rugged landscape of the lunar South Pole, these advanced rovers will help astronauts travel farther, explore longer, and expand what is possible during every surface mission.

  • Astrolab’s Crewed Lunar Vehicle (CLV-1) is designed to transport astronauts and their supplies across the lunar surface. The rover can also operate remotely, providing flexibility for both crewed and uncrewed activities.
A photo of a full-scale prototype of Lunar Outpost's Pegasus lunar terrain vehicle. The rover can seat two astronauts, is fabricated out of metal, has mesh tires, has two solar arrays deployed, and is lit up by blue lights.
A full-scale prototype of Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus lunar terrain vehicle.
Lunar Outpost
  • Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus LTV can operate autonomously, by remote control, or with astronauts onboard. The rover is designed to support a wide range of activities, including site exploration, science operations, resource prospecting, and surface preparation.
  • Future lunar mobility capabilities will continue to build on what these vehicles help demonstrate.
  • NASA selected Blue Origin to deliver these vehicles to the Moon’s South Pole in 2028 under two task orders, with options for future payload deliveries based on mission performance.

Phase Two of Moon Base development will include:

  • Deployment of expanded solar power systems and initial nuclear surface power capabilities, potentially including fission reactors and radioisotope power systems.
  • Upgraded rovers, potential advanced MoonFall drones, and early habitation elements.
  • Enhanced surface-to-orbit communications networks to provide reliable connectivity across the lunar South Pole region.
  • Delivery of up to 60 tons of cargo through as many as 24 landings using low-, medium-, and heavy-class cargo landers.

A pressurized rover, supplied by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), is expected to be deployed during Phase Two of Moon Base development.

A concept image of JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) pressurized rover on the surface of the Moon.
JAXA/Toyota
  • The pressurized rover will expand how far astronauts can travel and work across the lunar South Pole region. Serving as a mobile habitat and laboratory, the rover will allow crews to explore geographically diverse regions and conduct science far beyond the immediate vicinity of landing sites or fixed habitats. 
  • Designed to support two astronauts in a shirt-sleeve environment for up to 30 days, the pressurized rover is intended to provide a safe, enclosed workspace where astronauts can live, conduct research, and prepare for surface excursions. This capability reduces the need for astronauts to remain in spacesuits during long traverses, increasing comfort, efficiency, and mission productivity. 
  • The pressurized rover will enable astronauts to perform moonwalks from remote locations, extending exploration range and allowing access to new science targets, rugged terrain, and resource-rich areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach. By functioning as both transportation system and temporary habitat, it will help turn the lunar surface into a place where crews can operate for extended periods. 
  • Built for the harsh lunar environment, the rover is expected to have an approximate 10-year lifespan, traverse slopes up to 15 degrees, survive as many as 150 hours in shadow, and reach speeds of up to two miles (3.5 kilometers) per hour. 

During Phase Two of Moon Base development, NASA plans to deploy site preparation and logistics rovers to the lunar South Pole region to support site preparation activities, regolith handling, and early surface logistics operations.

Artist’s rendering of a small robotic logistics rover driving across the lunar surface.
Artist’s rendering depicting a robotic logistics rover on the lunar surface.
NASA
  • Planned Phase Two surface mobility systems include NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Gen 2 and additional industry and international partner rovers designed to support cargo and logistics transport, site preparation activities, regolith excavation, and soil compaction operations near the lunar South Pole.

During Phase Two of Moon Base development, NASA plans to utilize radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) to demonstrate technologies, operational approaches, and processes that could help inform future large-scale nuclear power systems for the lunar surface.

Artist’s rendering of a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) positioned on the dark lunar surface near the edge of a shadowed region. The box-shaped power system emits light onto the surrounding terrain and is connected to a cable.
Artist’s rendering depicting a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) operating on the lunar surface.
NASA
  • Planned Phase Two nuclear surface power capability demonstrations include the use of RTGs capable of producing hundreds of watts of power to help support lunar surface systems, lunar night survival, and exploration within permanently shadowed regions.
  • These demonstrations are intended to help advance technologies, thermal management approaches, operational concepts, and processes that could inform future large-scale nuclear power systems for sustained lunar and Mars exploration.

During Phase Two of Moon Base development, NASA plans to test solar power augmentation technologies, operational approaches, and processes that could help inform future large-scale power generation, energy storage, and distribution capabilities.

Artist’s rendering depicting a conceptual solar power augmentation system on the lunar surface.
NASA
  • Planned Phase Two solar power augmentation demonstrations include the deployment of solar array systems with energy storage and power distribution capabilities.
  • Early demonstrations are expected to test solar array deployment systems, battery technologies, and surface power distribution hubs.
  • Permanent infrastructure capabilities will need to be capable of generating more than 10 kilowatts of power during illuminated periods and providing up to 360 kilowatt-hours of stored energy during lunar shadow periods.

During Phase Two of Moon Base development, NASA plans to demonstrate and expand surface communications systems designed to support growing connectivity needs across the lunar South Pole region.

Artist’s rendering of a tall communications tower deployed on the lunar surface.
Artist’s rendering depicting conceptual lunar surface communications infrastructure.
NASA
  • Surface communications development activities include the deployment of dedicated surface-to-orbit communications stations capable of supporting greater data throughput and connections.
  • Surface communications nodes are expected to provide coverage ranges of approximately six miles (10 kilometers) per node, functioning similarly to cellular network towers on Earth to create a more connected and resilient lunar communications architecture.

Phase Three of Moon Base development will include:

  • Semi-permanent habitation modules with more spacious interior for crew living and operations.
  • Operational fission surface power systems capable of delivering steady, reliable energy through the long lunar nights, leveraging in-situ resource manufacturing.
  • Pressurized rovers enabling long-distance travel, exploration, and science operations.
  • Advanced logistics networks supported by crewed and autonomous rovers to keep the base supplied and functioning year-round.
  • Delivery of up to 38 tons of cargo annually to sustain habitats, power systems, logistics operations, and major science outposts, enabled by low-cost reusable heavy-lift capabilities.

During Phase Three of Moon Base development, NASA plans to expand lunar surface habitation capabilities from the initial short-duration systems demonstrated during Phase Two toward more advanced infrastructure designed to support longer-duration human presence.

NASA
  • Building on earlier habitation efforts, Phase Three systems are expected to incorporate larger habitation modules, along with expanded environmental control, power, and life support capabilities.
  • Planned habitation infrastructure may also include airlocks and module aggregation nodes designed to support interconnected habitats.

During Phase Three of Moon Base development, NASA plans to advance from early in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) demonstrations toward more sustained implementation of technologies designed to use lunar materials for exploration and surface operations.

Artist’s rendering of a conceptual lunar regolith processing system operating on the lunar surface.
NASA
  • Building on ISRU testing conducted during Phases One and Two, Phase Three efforts are expected to focus on utilizing lunar resources and commodities that could help reduce launch mass, operational costs, and risks associated with long-duration lunar exploration.
  • ISRU demonstrations could include extracting oxygen, water, and hydrogen from lunar regolith while also exploring techniques for converting regolith into durable construction and infrastructure materials through approaches such as sintering, corbelling, and 3D printing.

Artist’s rendering depicting conceptual uncrewed cargo return activities on the lunar surface.
NASA

During Phase Three of Moon Base development, NASA plans to begin implementing substantial uncrewed cargo return capabilities from the lunar surface to Earth.

  • Building on initial demonstrations conducted during Phase Two, Phase Three efforts are expected to advance uncrewed cargo return systems capable of returning up to 1,102 pounds (500 kilograms) of material from the Moon.
  • These return missions are intended to support the transport of scientific samples, research payloads, and critical hardware from the lunar surface back to Earth for further analysis and evaluation.

During Phase Three of Moon Base development, NASA plans to expand end-to-end logistics capabilities designed to support more sustained and complex lunar surface operations.

Artist’s rendering of astronauts conducting conceptual logistics activities on the Moon. One astronaut unloads cargo containers while another drives a lunar rover across the surface.
Artist’s rendering depicting conceptual logistics activities on the lunar surface.
NASA
  • Building on the initial logistics capabilities demonstrated during Phase Two, Phase Three efforts are expected to increase delivery capacity from approximately 0.5–1.5 metric tons to as much as eight metric tons per 28-day mission.
  • These logistics systems are intended to support the transport and sustainment of essential supplies and infrastructure, including food, water, clothing, spare parts, science payloads, maintenance equipment, and other materials needed to support crews, habitats, and surface systems.

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