Since Apollo 17, America hasn’t put a man on the moon in over 50 years.
Last week, NASA’s Administrator, Jared Isaacman, confirmed as Nasa’s leader in December, says he wants to accelerate the pace at which NASA innovates and launches big missions that explore the moon, develop new technologies and stimulate off-planet economies. President Trump has issued his National Space Policy with a goal to have the initial components of the lunar outpost by 2030.
Nasa’s Program Executive for the Moon Base, Carlos Garcia-Galan, says they are going to build the moon base in three phases. “The first phase starts now- and it goes through 2028. It’s going to be all about gaining reliable access to the surface of the moon, exploring, and experimenting with the technologies we will need for the moon base.” Garcia-Galan said.
He says they hope to have about 8 landings in the next 2 years- sending lunar vehicles and any equipment needed to prepare the surface, with a goal of having the astronauts walk on the moon by 2028.
In the second phase, they will focus on the moon base infrastructure. “We will start setting up communication satellites, cell towers, power, things for navigation. The things we take for granted here on earth. On the moon- there is nothing like that.” He said.
In the third phase in 2032, Garcia- Galan says NASA will conduct long duration missions with habitations on the lunar surface.
Most of the construction for the moon base- including habitation modules, lunar terrain vehicles, mission training, and of course mission control will be done in Houston at the Johnson Space Center.
NASA’s Artemis is targeting April 1st to launch 4 astronauts around the moon. The crew will depart from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.