NASA offers a fresh look at how astronauts could live at future Moon Base

The Moon Base will serve as the home base for Artemis astronauts as NASA prepares to establish humanity’s first long-term lunar outpost near the Moon’s South Pole. For the same, NASA has joined hands with international space agencies, industry leaders, and researchers to take a step towards establishing a lunar presence in the coming years. Together, they have designed the base in a way that would enable astronauts to live and work on the Moon.

The image shows an illustration of the proposed Moon Base at the lunar South Pole. NASA recently revealed its three-phase, multi-year plan to establish a base on Earth's only natural satellite and sustain life on it.

The first phase of the Moon Base project runs from now through 2029, focusing primarily on learning, testing, and building. During this stage, NASA is sending a series of robotic missions to explore the Moon’s south pole region. The aim of this phase is to help scientists study the rugged terrain, test new technologies, and prepare the ground for future crewed operations on the lunar surface.

The image is an illustration shared by NASA that shows how they are planning to conduct the exploration on the lunar surface.

Blue Origin’s uncrewed Blue Moon Mark 1 lander will support Phase One of NASA’s Moon Base development near the lunar South Pole. Part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, this mission is designed to reduce risks for future Artemis landings. Named "Endurance," the lander will test critical technologies such as precision landing, cryogenic propulsion, and autonomous navigation. Endurance will also deliver NASA payloads, including Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies and a Laser Retroreflective Array, which enables orbiting spacecraft to determine precise locations using reflected laser light.

The image shows how the environmental testing of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander was completed inside the Thermal Vacuum Chamber at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA is aiming to deploy crewed and uncrewed Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs) to establish a foundation for long-term surface mobility. Operating autonomously, uncrewed LTVs will conduct early exploration and prepare the lunar surface before human operations begin. They are expected to operate for at least one year and travel between 497 and 559 miles. Crewed LTVs will allow astronauts to move across longer distances on the rugged lunar surface. Built to endure the harsh lunar environment, these rovers can climb slopes up to 20 degrees and survive for up to 150 hours in freezing, permanently shadowed regions of the Moon.

The image portrays an artist’s concept design of NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle.

During Phase I of the Moon Base operations, NASA will deploy an initial network of communication and observation satellites around the Moon. Later, an additional provider-developed constellation will be added to expand these navigation services. These orbital assets will support high-bandwidth communication between Earth, cislunar space, and the lunar surface for complex science and exploration activities. Alongside this, NASA plans to test interoperability standards through LunaNet, a developing lunar communications and navigation architecture.

This image is an artist’s rendering showing a conceptual lunar orbiter designed to support communications, positioning, and navigation for future lunar exploration and operations.

1. Phase II of the Moon Base development will span from 2029 to 2032, as per NASA's current timeline. During this period, the agency is expected to deploy advanced solar power systems, fission reactors, and radioisotope power systems to sustain the base. This phase will also introduce upgraded rovers, MoonFall drones, and early habitation elements to support longer human stays.
   

The image is concept art depicting early human habitation on the Moon.

During Phase 2, NASA will deploy a pressurized rover from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which will allow astronauts to safely travel and operate near the lunar South Pole without wearing spacesuits inside the vehicle. Functioning as a mobile habitat, the rover can support two astronauts in a fully pressurized, life-sustaining environment for up to 30 days. Built for endurance in harsh environments, the rover has an expected lifespan of 10 years.

This is a concept image depicting JAXA’s pressurized rover on the surface of the Moon.

NASA will utilize radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) during Phase II operations to demonstrate power technology, operational efficiency, and strategies for setting up large-scale nuclear power systems for the lunar and Martian surfaces. These RTGs can produce significant amounts of continuous power, crucial for surviving the freezing lunar night and exploring permanently shadowed regions.

The image shows an artist’s concept of a Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) during Phase II of NASA’s Moon Base development on the lunar surface.

As Phase Two progresses, NASA will deploy specialized site preparation and logistics rovers to the lunar South Pole. The Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) Gen 2 and additional rovers from industry and international partners will assist with cargo transport and logistics for base construction. These rovers will also perform regolith excavation and soil compaction to prepare the lunar surface for permanent human habitats.

The image shows an artist’s imagination of a logistics rover operating on the Moon.

1. The final phase—Phase III—of the Moon Base development plan is expected to begin in 2032. During this phase, the primary goal is to make long-term survival on the Moon a reality. By establishing periodic crew rotations alongside continuous robotic activity on the lunar surface, NASA will use this phase to transition towards sustained lunar habitability.
   

The image is a conceptual rendering of sustained human presence on the lunar surface.

In Phase III, NASA plans to dramatically expand lunar habitability. Building on the foundational efforts from Phase II, the agency will start making use of larger habitation modules equipped with more advanced life support systems and environmental controls. This phase is also expected to introduce connecting airlocks and module aggregation nodes, linking individual structures into a unified lunar complex.

The image is an illustration of NASA’s planned habitation module on the lunar surface.

During Phase III, NASA also plans to introduce systems capable of returning up to 1,102 pounds (500 kg) of material from the lunar surface to Earth. These uncrewed return cargoes will transport scientific samples, critical hardware, and research payloads for scientists to analyze.

The image shows an artist’s rendering of uncrewed cargo return activities on the Moon.