NASA to build $20bn moon base, halts orbital station plans

NASA – (Web Desk) – NASA has announced a major shift in its Moon plans. The agency will spend $20 billion to build a base on the Moon. At the same time, it is putting its lunar space station project, Gateway, on hold for now.

NASA chief Jared Isaacman shared this update during an event in Washington. He said the agency wants to focus more on building systems that support life and work on the Moon’s surface.

He also explained that some parts of the Gateway project will still be used. NASA plans to reuse useful equipment and work closely with global partners to move forward.

This change is part of a bigger update to the Artemis program. The goal of sending humans back to the Moon is still the same. NASA also wants to build a long-term presence there and prepare for future missions to Mars.

The Gateway station was meant to help astronauts travel to the Moon and support research. But some experts felt it was too costly and slowed down other goals. So, NASA decided to pause it and focus on building a base near the Moon’s south pole.

Isaacman said the agency will work step by step. Many missions will help build this base over the next seven years. He added that NASA wants to take the world along in this journey.

The European Space Agency and other partners are now reviewing the impact of this decision. Talks are ongoing to plan the next steps together.

NASA still aims to land humans on the Moon by 2028. A test mission will come first to make sure everything works well. This step will help improve future launches.

Private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are also playing a key role. They are building lunar landers needed for these missions.

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Meanwhile, China is also moving fast. It plans to send its own crew to the Moon by 2030.