BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Fresh off the success of Artemis II, NASA says it is moving quickly toward its next major goal, building a long-term human presence on the Moon.
During a Moon Base update Tuesday in Washington, NASA leaders outlined new robotic missions, lunar rover contracts, and technology tests designed to prepare for future Artemis astronaut landings near the Moon’s south pole.
“NASA is ready for the next step, and that next step is coming fast,” said Lori Glaze, Acting Associate Administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. She said Artemis III hardware, including the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, and commercial lunar landers is already moving into final stages of testing and integration.
NASA also announced its first three “Moon Base” missions. One will use Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander to test systems designed to reduce risk for future astronauts. Another mission will send a rover aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lander to help engineers learn how vehicles can travel across the lunar surface. A third mission will study mysterious lunar swirls through NASA’s PRISM science initiative.
The agency also awarded new contracts to Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to build the next generation of lunar rovers that astronauts could eventually drive on the Moon.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman acknowledged the challenges ahead, saying astronauts spent only about 80 total hours conducting moonwalks during the Apollo era more than 50 years ago.
NASA’s long-term goal is to build the infrastructure needed for astronauts to live and work on the Moon continuously while also preparing for future missions to Mars.
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