NASA reveals plans to build $20B moon base by 2032

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00].

[00:00:00]>> Todd: THERE IS A LOT GOING ON WITH THAT STORY RIGHT THERE.

[00:00:02]MOON LANDINGS TO MOON LIVING, NASA UNVEILING FIRST LOOK AT PLANS TO CONSTRUCT $20 MILLION MOON BASE BY 2032 ONLY SIX YEARS AWAY.

[00:00:12]MARKING THE FIRST PERMANENT HUMAN SETTLEMENT ON ANOTHER WORLD.

[00:00:15]THE CREW OF THE ARTEMIS II SITTING DOWN WITH "FOX & FRIENDS" TO DISCUSS WHAT COMES NEXT FOR SPACE EXPLORATION.

[00:00:22]>> I THINK IT'S SIMPLE.

[00:00:23]THE WORLD SHOWED THAT THEY'RE HUNGRY FOR THIS.

[00:00:26]>> NOT JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE MOON, THE EQUATOR.

[00:00:29]WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE TO GET THERE AND GET TO THE SOUTH POLICY AND ALSO WANT TO GO STAY.

[00:00:35]>> Todd: HERE TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS NEW MOON BASE COULD TAKE SHAPE RESEARCH FELLOW AT THE OPEN UNIVERSITY DR. SIEMIAN BARBER.

[00:00:45]TO ME TWO FUND MEJTED QUESTIONS WHAT IS THIS THING GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW DO WE GET THERE FIRST, WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

[00:00:53]WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON THIS BASE?

[00:01:06]ROBOTIC MISSIONS SET UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE THE ASTRONAUTS ARE GOING TO NEED.

[00:01:10]THE MOON HAS NO ATMOSPHERE.

[00:01:12]THE FIRST THING THEY ARE GOING TO BRIEFING.

[00:01:16]SEALED STRUCTURES.

[00:01:17]THEY NEED PROTECTION FROM THE ENVIRONMENTS.

[00:01:22]SQUALLS.

[00:01:23]ALL THESE ENVIRONMENTS ARE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT.

[00:01:25]THE ROBOTIC MISSIONS STARTING LATER THIS YEAR ARE GOING TO START LAYING SOME OF THOSE FOUNDATION STONES AND THEN WE GET THE ASTRONAUTS, HOPEFULLY GETTING TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON IN 2032.

[00:01:38]>> Todd: PHYSICALLY, THE STRUCTURES THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE.

[00:01:40]OBVIOUSLY THESE PEOPLE NEED A PLACE TO LIVE, EAT, DO OTHER ETHICS.

[00:01:43]WHAT ARE THE STRUCTURES GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

[00:01:45]ARE THEY GOING TO BE LIKE HOUSES LIKE YOU AND I KNOW?

[00:01:48]I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT'S THE CASE.

[00:01:50]WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?

[00:01:54]>> I THINK IF THE FIRST CASE FAIRLY SIMPLE STRUCTURES.

[00:01:57]THINGS LIKE PREFABRICATED MODULES BROUGHT FROM EARTH AND LAID ON THE SURFACE AND POWERED UP.

[00:02:05]WE MIGHT EVEN SEE THEM REUSING KIND OF BITS OF SPACECRAFT.

[00:02:10]FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, FUEL TANKS HUGE METALLIC EMPTY STRUCTURES MAYBE THEY CAN BE REPURPOSED FOR LIVING QUARTERS A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT MINIMIZING THE MASSIVE MATERIAL THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE FROM EARTH TO THE MOON IT COSTS MONEY TO LIFT THINGS OFF EARTH.

[00:02:27]THE MORE WE CAN LEARN TO LIVE OFF THE LAND AND MAKE USE OF LOCAL RESOURCES, SO A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE IS TO PROTECT FROM RADIATION ONE OF THE IDEAS IS TO PILE UP THE LUNAR SOIL OVER THE HABITATION MODELS TO OFFSET THAT INCOMING RADIATION.

[00:02:43]THAT IS A SIMPLE IDEA.

[00:02:44]VERY PRACTICAL.

[00:02:45]IT COULD BE REALLY EFFECTIVE TO DRIVE DOWN THE COST OF THESE MISSIONS.

[00:02:50]>> Todd: YOU ANSWERED WHAT IT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE GET THERE LED TO MY NEXT QUESTION.

[00:02:55]EVENTUALLY, DOCTOR, COULD THIS BE SELF-SUSTAINING?

[00:03:05]ADDRESS WHAT THIS IS BAWL.

[00:03:08]THE APOLLO MOST TECHNOLOGICAL.

[00:03:11]WITH RESPECT THEY AMOUNTED TO DAY TRIP FOR NEIL ARMSTRONG AND BUZZ ALDRIN AND MAYBE A WEEKEND AWAY FOR THE FINAL MISSION.

[00:03:20]IF YOU WANT TO REALLY EXPLORE THE PLACE AND GET TO KNOW A NEW CITY OR COUNTRY OR NEW PLANET, YOU NEED TO GO THERE.

[00:03:26]YOU NEED TO MAKE A BUSINESS AND USE THAT TO EXPLORE DIG IN TO WHAT THE MOON CAN OFFER SCIENTIFICALLY TELLS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE EARTH AND MOON AND HOW IT CAN SUPPORT US FOR FUTURE EXPRESSIONS.

[00:03:44]HOW WE USE IT AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR LAUNCHING MISSIONS TON MARS.

[00:03:48]ONLY BY BEING THERE WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR LOCK TERM.

[00:03:59]>> Todd: BY THE TIME THIS IS ALL SAID AND DONE I WILL FOCUS ON THE MOON FOR NOW.

[00:04:04]IS IT CONCEIVABLE SOMEBODY COULD GO UP THERE AND LIVE THE REST OF THEIR LIFE ON THE MOON LIKE A RETIREMENT, IF YOU WILL?

[00:04:12]>> EGG THINK AT THE MOMENT WE HAVE GOT KEEP THE MISSION THAT THIS IS ABOUT DOING WORK.

[00:04:16]IT'S NOT A PLACE TO GO RETIRE AND CHILL.

[00:04:21]ASTRONAUTS ARE AMAZINGLY HARD-WORKING PEOPLE AND IT'S ABOUT WE HAVE GOT TO DO A JOB THERE THE KIND OF RETIREMENT HOME, TOURISM THING, WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN ARGUMENT THERE IF THAT HELPS FOR THE OVERALL ENDEAVOR THEN WHY NOT?

[00:04:37]>> Todd: SURE.

[00:04:38]>> WE HAVE TO REMEMBER BY GOING TO THE MOON, WE EFFECT IT.

[00:04:41]IT'S A PRECIOUS ENVIRONMENT THERE THAT'S PRISTINE AND NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED.

[00:04:46]WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHO GOES, WHAT THEY DO.

[00:04:50]WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE DONE ON