Tag

Moon Base

All articles tagged with #moon base

science-and-technology3 days ago•2 min saved

NASA Selects GIMLI Mission to Hunt for Lunar Lava Tubes Beneath Marius Hills Pit

NASA has selected the GIMLI mission to investigate whether the Marius Hills Pit on the Moon leads into a large underground lava tube. Led by the Planetary Science Institute and Honeybee Robotics, the mission will use ground-penetrating radar, seismic sensors, and gravity measurements to probe the subsurface. If a cave exists, it could provide natural radiation shielding for future astronauts. The mission is part of NASA's PRISM program and will launch via the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative.

via ScienceDaily|

#gimli #lunar-geology #moon-base

space5 days ago•118 min saved

Blue Origin Unveils 20-Meter 'Power Tower' for Lunar South Pole Base

Blue Origin has revealed a new 'Power Tower' designed to generate over 10 kilowatts of solar electricity for a future base at the Moon's south pole. The 20-meter-tall structure features a vertically deployed solar array system that unfolds after landing. The company shared an animation of the deployment on X on September 25, alongside footage of a successful Earth-based test conducted on July 22, 2026. This technology evolves from the earlier Lunar Array Mast and Power System (LAMPS) developed by Blue Origin subsidiary Honeybee Robotics. The modular design aims to support future surface networks by extending power to various assets beyond the lander itself.

via Space|

#blue-origin #honeybee-robotics #lunar-power

science-and-technology8 days ago

NASA Launches 'Ignition' to Build Permanent Lunar Base by 2032

NASA has unveiled a $20 billion, three-phase plan to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon by 2032. The initiative, named 'Ignition,' focuses on the lunar south pole to exploit water ice and sunlight. Recent selections of three new robotic science missions will map hazards, search for underground lava tubes, and locate ice reserves to ensure safety and resource availability before human arrival.

via DOGO News|

#artemis #lunar-science #moon-base

space-policy17 days ago•5 min saved

Isaacman Rejects Diplomatic Optics for 'Good Deals' in Lunar South Pole Race

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has declared that the agency will only pursue international space partnerships that offer tangible, mission-critical contributions, rejecting previous models that prioritized diplomatic optics. Speaking at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Isaacman emphasized the urgency of securing positions at the lunar south pole before China and Russia can block access to water ice and power sources. He cited Italy and Japan as successful partners due to their significant financial and hardware commitments, while criticizing the European Space Agency for offering delayed or redundant capabilities. This shift aligns with a broader strategy to accelerate the 'Moon Base' program and pivot away from the canceled Gateway station to maintain a competitive edge in the new space race.

via Ars Technica|

#artemis-program #international-partnerships #jared-isaacman

space2 months ago•6 min saved

HALO Drives NASA's Lunar Infrastructure Demos for Moon Base Trials

NASA and Northrop Grumman will repurpose the HALO module from Gateway into three Lunar Infrastructure Demos (LID-1 to LID-3) to mature lunar surface power, thermal management, autonomy, communications and hosted-payload services capable of surviving the Moon’s night near the South Pole, with Moon Base Phase One development running through 2029; the move follows Gateway delays and corrosion issues and aims to accelerate a sustainable Moon Base architecture.

via Spaceflight Now|

#halo #lunar-infrastructure-demos #moon-base

technology3 months ago•5 min saved

Blue Origin maps hybrid return-to-flight plan for New Glenn, targeting late-2026 launch

Blue Origin outlines a return-to-flight plan for its New Glenn rocket after an anomaly destroyed a pad vehicle, with early analysis pointing to the aft first stage. The company will implement a hybrid horizontal-vertical integration flow at LC-36A, reuse existing infrastructure, and coordinate with NASA on Moon Base timelines as Blue Moon landers advance toward VIPER and Artemis-era missions; the late-2026 return remains the goal, though some milestones may push into 2027.

via Spaceflight Now|

#artemis #blue-origin #launch-complex-36a

space3 months ago•6 min saved

NASA funds quartet of robotic lunar landers to advance Moon Base ambitions

NASA awarded about $590 million to Astrobotic Technology, Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines to fly four robotic lunar lander missions in 2028, each carrying the same three payloads (SCALPSS, LETS and the Laser Retroreflector Array); Astrobotic will fly two Peregrine landers to the Gruithuisen Domes region, Firefly one Blue Ghost, and Intuitive Machines one Nova-C, with a potential later addition of PROMISE, a Mars rover–derived, RTG-powered lunar rover; the agency is also weighing logistics for Moon Base launches and has not ruled out Blue Origin’s launch options as Plan A remains to use New Glenn.

via SpaceNews|

#astrobotic #firefly-aerospace #intuitive-machines

space3 months ago•188 min saved

NASA advances plan to build a $30 billion moon base with private partners

NASA outlined Phase 1 of a $30 billion plan to establish a permanent lunar base, awarding about $590 million to Astrobotic, Firefly and Intuitive Machines for four lunar missions and signaling possible use of a Mars rover on the Moon. The effort aims to lay groundwork for future habitats and power infrastructure by the late 2020s, relying on private partners like SpaceX and Blue Origin amid funding and technical hurdles and competing with China’s space program.

via CNN|

#artemis #moon-base #nasa

space3 months ago•4 min saved

NASA Expands Moon Base with Four More Lander Missions and New Rover Plans

NASA awards nearly $600 million to Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines, and Firefly Aerospace to land four additional Moon Base missions by late 2028 under CLPS, delivering three NASA science payloads (SCALPSS, LRA, LETS) to study lunar dust, navigation, and radiation as part of building sustained lunar operations. The agency also previews new opportunities, including the PROMISE rover concept for surface characterization, plus potential demos and a lunar relay constellation to enable broader exploration and future crewed missions.

via NASA (.gov)|

#clps #lunar-lander #moon-base

space3 months ago•4 min saved

NASA pauses HALO lunar habitat work as Moon-base plans take precedence

NASA has paused work on Northrop Grumman’s Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) as the agency shifts lunar plans from an orbital gateway to a surface-based Moon base; NG says most affected staff will be reassigned and HALO could be repurposed, while a separate HALO life-support contract with Paragon Space Development Corp. was told to stop, signaling a likely wind-down of the Lunar Gateway effort.

via Ars Technica|

#halo #lunar-gateway #moon-base

space4 months ago•6 min saved

Moon base plan in limbo after Blue Origin explosion forces NASA rethink

NASA’s plan to establish a multi-stage Moon base moved forward with rover and scouting contracts for 2028 landings, but a Blue Origin New Glenn explosion threatens the schedule, potentially delaying Artemis crewed landings and forcing a rewrite of the lunar-base roadmap.

via SpaceNews|

#artemis #blue-origin #moon-base

space4 months ago•5 min saved

Lunar Rovers Jumpstart Artemis: NASA Bets on Fast, Modular Moon Transportation

NASA revealed two next‑gen lunar rovers—CLV‑1 by Astrolab and Pegasus by Lunar Outpost—designed for human piloting, teleoperation, or autonomous use, about a ton in weight, roughly 6 mph, and costing ~$220 million each with a 20‑degree incline capability and a ~1‑year lifespan; the agency aims to have them on the Moon by 2028 as part of an iterative Moon Base plan funded largely through private contractors (Blue Origin, Astrobotic, Intuitive Machines) delivering landers and equipment, while MoonFall drones map sites and potentially mark a base perimeter under the Outer Space Treaty; the broader goal is frequent, affordable launches to rapidly build a lasting lunar outpost.

via Jalopnik|

#artemis-program #clv-1 #lunar-rovers

space-exploration4 months ago•59 min saved

NASA maps Moon Base plan with three uncrewed missions and phased timeline

NASA unveiled a phased Moon Base plan to establish a permanent lunar outpost near the South Pole, starting with three uncrewed missions—Moon Base I (instruments testing thruster interactions and surface tracking), Moon Base II (rovers), and Moon Base III (NASA and international payloads)—to lay the groundwork for a semi-permanent infrastructure by 2029–2032 and a sustained presence thereafter. The effort, part of a roughly $20 billion program, includes Blue Origin’s contract to conduct the first mission using its Blue Moon Endurance lander. While NASA touts the initiative as the next era of lunar exploration and a stepping stone to Mars, experts caution that timelines are ambitious amid Artemis challenges and geopolitical competition, particularly from China.

via Live Science|

#artemis #blue-origin #lunar-exploration

space4 months ago•76 min saved

Artemis Moon Base Aims to Span Hundreds of Square Miles With Drones and Rovers

NASA’s Artemis program envisions a multi‑phase Moon Base near the south pole that could cover hundreds of square miles, with hopping MoonFall drones scouting and marking the site’s borders and autonomous lunar rovers from Astrolab and Lunar Outpost; Firefly Aerospace will deliver the first MoonFall landers in 2028 to kick off perimeter mapping, while Artemis 3/4 missions will preposition rovers as the base advances toward a semi‑permanent crew presence by 2032.

via Space|

#artemis #astrolab #lunar-outpost

space4 months ago•6 min saved

NASA taps rover teams and drone scouts to seed the Moon Base program

NASA selected Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to design rovers to support a planned Moon Base, to be delivered to the lunar surface by Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program; the rovers, intended for scouting and science and operable autonomously or via teleoperation, are expected to help Artemis astronauts by 2028. The awards total roughly $219–220 million for the rover contracts, with the first Moon Base mission renamed Moon Base 1 and related missions (Astrobotic Griffin-1 and Intuitive Machines IM-3) renamed Moon Base 2 and Moon Base 3. Separately, Firefly Aerospace will deliver MoonFall drones, launched from lunar orbit by a Firefly Elytra Dark spacecraft, to scout terrain, with a planned 2028 launch. Intuitive Machines was not selected in this initial round, though NASA says it may win later task orders. The program updates reflect NASA’s shift toward a more streamlined, affordable Moon Base rollout and the use of CLPS 2.0 for cargo deliveries.

via SpaceNews|

#astrolab #blue-origin #lunar-outpost