Space & Astronomy

NASA announces first steps in bid to begin building a base on the Moon

By T.K. Randall
May 27, 2026

Image: Artist's Concept of Astronauts Working on the Lunar Surface
Credit: NASA / (PD) At an event on Tuesday, NASA revealed more about its plan to build a base on the Moon and detailed some of the missions that will take place even before Artemis IV lands the first humans there since the Apollo era.

The first mission - Moon Base 1 - will launch this fall with the goal of landing cargo on the Moon using Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander.

It will also carry out tests and experiments long before any humans arrive.

Then, later this year, Moon Base 2 and Moon Base 3 will land additional payloads.These will reportedly be the first of more than a dozen lunar missions that will take place ahead of Artemis IV while providing foundational work in preparation for a future base.

During the event, NASA also revealed details of new lunar rover, lander and orbiter designs.

"The Moon Base will be America's and humanity's first outpost on another celestial world," said Administrator Jared Isaacman.

"Every mission, crewed and uncrewed, will be a learning opportunity as we return to the lunar surface, build the infrastructure to stay, and master the skills required to live and operate in one of the most demanding and dangerous environments imaginable. "

You can watch the event for yourself in the video below.


Source: NASA.gov

Tags: Moon