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Lunar Base

All articles tagged with #lunar base

Paving a Permanent Moon Base: A Geologist’s Roadmap to a Sustainable Lunar Settlement
science1 month ago

Paving a Permanent Moon Base: A Geologist’s Roadmap to a Sustainable Lunar Settlement

NASA aims for a semipermanent lunar outpost by the 2030s, but establishing a long‑term Moon base requires choosing a flat, expandable site with 24/7 power and access to local resources like water ice (and potentially helium‑3), plus the development of new technologies and a shift from a mission‑driven mindset to a campaign‑style approach. Private‑sector partnerships could help fund and operate lunar services, and mining prospects may emerge for resources near the base, but substantial unknowns about deposits, extraction, and refining still need solving.

via The Conversation|
#artemis#lunar-base#moon
NASA Outlines 3-Phase Plan for a Permanent Lunar Base at the South Pole
space2 months ago

NASA Outlines 3-Phase Plan for a Permanent Lunar Base at the South Pole

NASA unveiled a three-phase plan to establish a sustainable lunar base at the Moon's south pole, beginning with robotic missions and technology tests in 2026–2029 (including testing Blue Origin's Blue Moon Endurance lander). Phase two, starting in 2029, adds semi-permanent infrastructure and first occupancy with sizable cargo deliveries, and phase three expands to durable habitat modules, power and logistics networks, and an annual cargo flow of about 38 tons to support ongoing operations.

via WIRED|
#artemis#blue-origin#lunar-base
NASA maps a multi-mission sprint toward a permanent Moon base
space2 months ago

NASA maps a multi-mission sprint toward a permanent Moon base

NASA unveiled a multi-mission Artemis roadmap to lay the groundwork for a sustained lunar base, featuring uncrewed landers, rovers and drones from Blue Origin, Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, Astrolab and Lunar Outpost, with MoonFall drones (built by Firefly Aerospace) targeting a 2028 launch. The plan aims to establish semi-habitable infrastructure by 2032 and full surface habitats by 2036, while astronauts are expected to land on the Moon in 2028 (potentially twice that year). Whether the timeline holds depends on commercial partners delivering on schedule.

via Gizmodo|
#artemis#habitat#lunar-base
Artemis 2 opens a relay race toward a lunar base and Mars, NASA chief says
space4 months ago

Artemis 2 opens a relay race toward a lunar base and Mars, NASA chief says

NASA chief Jared Isaacman says Artemis 2 was just the opening act in a broader push to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustained presence, describing a lunar “relay race” that will lead to a Moon base and eventual Mars missions. The mission’s success sets the stage for Artemis 3 to test a human landing system in 2027 and Artemis 4 to pursue a crewed Moon landing by 2028, alongside organizational and budget changes—expanding private and international partnerships, rethinking the Lunar Gateway and ISS strategy, and pursuing mechanisms to accelerate cadence and innovation for a long‑term lunar-to-Mars agenda.

via Space|
#artemis-2#lunar-base#moon
NASA aims for a sustained Moon base by the 2030s through a networked Artemis program
space4 months ago

NASA aims for a sustained Moon base by the 2030s through a networked Artemis program

NASA is shifting Artemis from a sprint to a system-based approach, prioritizing a long-term, repeatable human presence on the Moon with habitats, power systems, and surface infrastructure. The plan includes a 2027 in-orbit docking test with commercial lunar landers, a 2028 landing near the lunar south pole, pausing the lunar Gateway to focus on surface infrastructure, and expanding public-private partnerships to spread risk, lower costs, and develop technologies for Earth and Mars.

via The Conversation|
#artemis#lunar-base#moon
Moon base ambitions collide with radiation, dust and unknowns
space5 months ago

Moon base ambitions collide with radiation, dust and unknowns

NASA and its partners aim to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon within the next decade, including a permanent lunar base tied to the Artemis program and private-sector plans. But scientists warn the Moon’s harsh environment—razor-sharp dust, relentless cosmic radiation, and low gravity—presents significant health and engineering risks, with unresolved questions about habitat design, life support, water and ice resources, and construction methods. A data-driven, cautious approach is needed before rushing into a lunar colony, as much depends on learning more about the Moon itself.

via Live Science|
#artemis#lunar-base#moon
NASA pivots Artemis plan to build a lunar surface base, shelving the Gateway
space5 months ago

NASA pivots Artemis plan to build a lunar surface base, shelving the Gateway

NASA will pause the Lunar Gateway orbital station and repurpose its hardware to construct a $20 billion lunar surface base over seven years, a shift announced by new NASA administrator Jared Isaacman. The move prioritizes sustained surface operations on the Moon, with contracts and international partnerships redirected to support Artemis goals as China advances toward a 2030 moon landing.

via The Guardian|
#artemis#gateway#lunar-base
NASA Sets Sights on a Permanent Moon Base Powered by Water and Nuclear Energy
space5 months ago

NASA Sets Sights on a Permanent Moon Base Powered by Water and Nuclear Energy

NASA outlines a plan to establish a permanent Moon base at the south pole, leveraging water ice for drinking water and rocket fuel, and powering the habitat with nuclear reactors to endure the long lunar night, supported by robotic precursor missions and international cooperation, with a target of deploying a lunar surface reactor by 2030 and expanding habitats over time.

via The Daily Galaxy|
#lunar-base#moon#nasa
Senate panel advances NASA authorization with Artemis tweaks and ISS extension
space-policy5 months ago

Senate panel advances NASA authorization with Artemis tweaks and ISS extension

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced a revised NASA authorization bill (S. 933) that incorporates Artemis changes NASA requested, blocks further Exploration Upper Stage upgrades in favor of a near Block 1 approach, and pushes for a Lunar Surface Base with a designated lead center; it also extends the International Space Station life to 2032 due to delays in the CLD program, requires NASA to select at least two CLD partners, and defers ISS deorbit until a commercial successor is ready. The bill terminates the prior Mars Sample Return program and directs a revised MSR plan with an $8 billion cap, and it supports a competitive U.S. commercial launch market rather than imposing a launch-contract cap; Gateway plans would be briefed within 60 days of enactment.

via SpaceNews|
#artemis#commercial-leo-destinations#iss
Artemis Moon Base: Micrometeoroid threat deemed manageable with proven shielding
science6 months ago

Artemis Moon Base: Micrometeoroid threat deemed manageable with proven shielding

A study using NASA’s MEM3 model, adapted for a Moon base the size of the Artemis habitat, finds that micrometeoroids—tiny fast-moving rocks—are unlikely to penetrate a modern Whipple shield, especially at the lunar south pole. Equatorial sites opposite Earth would face about 23,000 impacts per year, while the south pole would see roughly 15,000, thanks to Earth’s gravity focusing more meteoroids toward the equator. The critical mass needed to breach the shield is about 0.07 g, and 99.9997% of micrometeoroids are smaller than this, meaning a penetrating hit would occur about once every 42 years. These results support the feasibility of a sustained lunar base in the 2030s, given appropriate shielding and site selection.

via BBC Sky at Night Magazine|
#artemis#lunar-base#mem3