Space race: NASA unveils next steps in plans to build permanent moon base

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]NASA has unveiled plans for a permanent base on the moon with the first mission set to launch later this year. It comes as days after China sent three astronauts into orbit as part of its own push to reach the lunar surface by 2030.

[00:00:14]Iris Pizza is tracking this story for CN and he filed this report from San Francisco.

[00:00:21]The US outlined its plans to return to the moon at a closely watched press conference earlier and this time it's planning to stay. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman laid out a 20 billion dollar blueprint with private industry playing a central role for a permanent American foothold on the lunar surface, including robotic landers, drones, and terrain vehicles to ultimately pave the way for humans.

[00:00:46]>> America is returning to the moon. We are working alongside our many international and commercial partners to leverage the incredible capabilities from commercial industry to build a moon base. Building on last month's landmark Aremis 2 lunar flyby, three uncrrewed missions are planned for this year with more than a dozen to follow. According to US officials, Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin has been chosen ahead of Elon Musk's SpaceX to conduct the first of those landing scientific payloads on the South Pole's Shackleton Ridge. The company's Astrolab and Lunar Outpost have also secured contracts to build the lunar terrain vehicles intended to eventually carry astronauts across the surface. The goal is a semi-permanent human presence at the lunar south pole by 2032, where frozen water could provide drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel. It comes as China's space program continues to accelerate. A couple days ago, Beijing launched the Shenha 23 mission. Three astronauts now docked at China's space station with one set to spend a full year in orbit, building the Endurance Data Beijing as it pushes towards its own crude lunar landing by 2030, a program it is pursuing alongside Russia.

[00:02:01]These latest developments underscore that the US and China have the lunar south pole firmly in their sights and the race to get there first is underway.

[00:02:10]For CNN, Iris Spitzer, San Francisco.

[00:02:16]With plans now taking shape for a permanent base at the moon's south pole, NASA says the next decade will focus on turning short-term missions into a lasting human presence beyond Earth. The $20 billion project will unfold in three phases. The first running through 2029 will focus on gathering detailed data and ensuring re reliable access to the lunar surface. As part of preparations, three uncrrewed missions will take place this year. Phase 2 from 2029 to 2032 will establish the base's initial operating capability, allowing astronauts to begin living and working on the moon for extended periods. But the third phase beginning in 2032, NASA aims to establish a sustained presence with regular crew rotations and continuous operations on the moon becoming a reality. NASA says the moon base will cover hundreds of square miles and will include hopping drones and rovers that will carry astronauts around the site. It will also become the world's first permanent outpost on another celestial body, serving as both a scientific hub and a testing ground for future deep space missions.