The United States is overhauling its crewed lunar exploration program, Artemis. The revised plan shifts focus from the Lunar Gateway orbital station project to securing a permanent base on the Moon's surface.
NASA announced the initiative at its "Ignition" event on Saturday. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said at the event, "We will return to the Moon and build a lunar base to establish a sustainable foothold before the end of President Trump's term. The success of the mission will be measured on a monthly basis."
NASA first declared it would halt construction of the Lunar Gateway in its current form. Instead, the agency will pursue building infrastructure to conduct operations on the lunar surface. Hardware developed so far will be repurposed, and construction of the surface base will begin in collaboration with global partners. The decision aims to deliver the tangible outcome of "landing on the lunar surface."
NASA outlined a phased approach to building a permanent lunar base: Phase 1 involves deploying rovers and scientific equipment through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program; Phase 2 involves constructing semi-habitable facilities where astronauts can stay on repeated missions; and Phase 3 aims to establish the foundation for long-term habitation. To support this plan, the Artemis 3 mission scheduled for 2027 will verify integrated systems in Earth orbit, followed by at least one lunar surface landing per year. Starting in 2027, NASA also plans up to 30 robotic landings per year.
To execute these projects, NASA has converted thousands of contract workers to permanent civil service positions. The agency also plans to deploy NASA experts to major suppliers and subcontractors to support the production process.