The National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA announced on 24 March 2026 that it will be spending about 30 billion U.S. dollars to build a base on the surface of the Moon. This ambitious plan is part of its set of initiatives aimed at achieving the current national space policy of the United States.
NASA Sets an Ambitious Plan to Build a Base on the Moon
Forget the orbital layover. NASA has shifted its priorities by pausing is the multi-billion dollar Lunar Gateway to put all of its resources in bringing human backs to the Moon and building the first Moon base.
U.S. National Space Policy
Note that the United States generally viewed space as a domain similar to the high seas. This means that it believes that all nations have the right to explore and use space for peaceful purposes. Previous U.S. presidential administrations have since developed and implemented a National Space Policy that centers on directing all government space activities.
The Artemis program, which was first launched in 2017 under the first Trump administration and was also based on the NASA Authorization Act of 2005 under Bush and programs under Obama, is a component of the U.S. National Space Policy that aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
Moreover, under the second Trump administration, the U.S. government has centered the policy on the American Space Superiority doctrine. This was formalized via an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on 18 December 2025. It shifts the focus of NASA toward sending astronauts back to the lunar surface and building a moon base.
The U.S. under Trump is treating space as a critical economic and national security domain. This means that the newer doctrine is moving away from the free access model of space exploration. NASA and the U.S. Department of Commerce are also now required to give first preference to commercial solutions and use fixed-price contracts.
Three-Phase Moon Base Plan
Nevertheless, based on the American Space Superiority doctrine, one of the highlights of the U.S. National Space Policy is the plan to build structures on the lunar surface. NASA noted that it will be spending 30 billion U.S. dollars to achieve its goal of building a Moon base. This amount will be spread across three phases. Take note of the following:
• Phase 1: High-Cadence Access
The first phase of the Moon base initiative will focus on establishing reliable transportation to the lunar surface. NASA aims for 25 launches and 21 landings by 2028. It will use the Commercial Lunar Payload Services and deliver one crewed and another uncrewed Lunar Terrain Vehicles to scout for potential base sites.
• Phase 2: Foundational Infrastructure
NASA will be shifting its focus to building semi-habitable infrastructure in the second phase. This includes the introduction of a pressurized rover, which will serve as a mobile habitat that will allow astronauts to live and work on the surface for weeks at a time. The space agency notes that this phase will last from 2029 to 2031.
• Phase 3: Permanent Habitation
The third and final phase of the Moon base initiative will focus on delivering full-scale lunar habitats equipped with life-support systems. Specifically, by this stage, the base will transition to using fission-based nuclear power and the extraction of oxygen and water. This is estimated to cost about 10 billion U.S. dollars.
From Orbit to Lunar Surface
The aforementioned announcement of NASA also marked a strategic shift. It has paused its Lunar Gateway initiative. This was a planned pace station that would have orbited the Moon. Hence, as part of the pivot, the U.S. space agency will be repurposing the components and funding intended for Lunar Gateway to pursuits that involve the lunar surface.
One of these pursuits is the establishment of the Moon base. The decision is primarily driven by a great-power and space-race competition. The U.S. government wants to establish a strong U.S. presence on the Moon before China. Note that the China Space Administration under President Xi Jinping is planning a crewed lunar landing in 2030.
Moreover, the processes, technologies, and practices that will be developed for building, operating, and maintaining a Moon base, which will include space-based logistics and construction, nuclear propulsion, space outpost operations, and life support, among others, are viewed as essential stepping stones for future crewed missions to Mars.
Scientists and engineers need to know if current technology can keep humans alive for months or years in a high-radiation and low-gravity environment before committing to a multi-year Mars mission. Establishing a base will also allow NASA to build logistical experience in managing a remote outpost where help from Earth is days to months away.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Low, L. E. 24 March 2026. NASA Unveils Initiatives to Achieve America’s National Space Policy.” National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Available online
- Office of Inspector General. 15 November 2021. NASA’s Management of the Artemis Missions. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Available via PDF
- The White House. 18 December 2025. “Ensuring American Space Superiority.” The White House. Available online