NASA wants to put a $20 billion base on the Moon


NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has big plans for the future of the agency, including the construction of a $20 billion lunar base that he said will establish an “enduring presence” on the Moon. Isaacman announced the news during NASA’s Ignition event on Tuesday, where he also described goals to launch a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars, as reported earlier by the New York Times.

As a result of plans to establish a base on the Moon, NASA announced that it’s pausing its Gateway project “in its current form,” which would’ve launched a space station orbiting the Moon. Instead, NASA plans to “shift focus to infrastructure that enables sustained surface operations,” and notes that it will “repurpose” some of the equipment that went into its Gateway project.

According to NASA, the agency aims to build the base in three phases, with the first involving the development of communications and navigation systems, along with the delivery of robotic landers and vehicles to help astronauts traverse the Moon. The next will involve “recurring astronaut operations on the surface” of the Moon, followed by the establishment of a “long-duration human presence,” allowing for the delivery of heavier infrastructure to create a permanent lunar base.

Isaacman didn’t provide a timeline for when the base will be complete, but said, “We will invest approximately $20 billion over the next seven years and build it through dozens of missions,” according to the NYT.

In addition to a new Moon base, NASA also outlined plans to launch the Space Reactor-1 Freedom, which it calls “the first nuclear powered interplanetary spacecraft,” to Mars by the end of 2028. When it reaches Mars, NASA said the spacecraft will deploy a payload with helicopters that are similar to Ingenuity, the small, autonomous helicopter that completed the first powered, controlled flight on Mars in 2021.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    Qualcomm is raising phone chip prices starting September 1st

    RAMageddon won’t be the only reason your next phone costs more — Qualcomm is about to raise prices on all its processors, as well. Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said on…

    Musk went to “war,” sought jail time for X ad boycotts—but case ends with a whimper

    The joint statement confirmed that GARM will remain inactive as a result of the WFA’s settlement with X. No other concessions were discussed. The rest of the statement claims that…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    Qualcomm is raising phone chip prices starting September 1st

    Qualcomm is raising phone chip prices starting September 1st

    Queensland MP pens ‘White Men Can Sprint’ social media post after Lachlan Kennedy takes silver in Glasgow | Australian politics

    Queensland MP pens ‘White Men Can Sprint’ social media post after Lachlan Kennedy takes silver in Glasgow | Australian politics

    Cultus Lake Waterpark begins phased reopening after electrical incident that sent 12 children to hospital

    Cultus Lake Waterpark begins phased reopening after electrical incident that sent 12 children to hospital

    Commonwealth Games: ‘Nothing to prove’ for Wales’ Emma Finucane

    Commonwealth Games: ‘Nothing to prove’ for Wales’ Emma Finucane

    Fertility Doctor Accused of Using Own Sperm to Impregnate Woman

    Fertility Doctor Accused of Using Own Sperm to Impregnate Woman

    Gen Z vs Millennials: The 2026 Fashion Trends According to Fashion Editors

    Gen Z vs Millennials: The 2026 Fashion Trends According to Fashion Editors