CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – NASA has begun ordering landers, rovers and drones for a large moon base, less than two months after Artemis II completed its lunar flyby. The agency detailed the initial phase of its plans on Tuesday by awarding contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars to four U.S. companies. Blue Origin will supply two landers to transport lunar terrain vehicles built by Astrolab and Lunar Outpost to a site near the moon’s south pole. Firefly Aerospace will send the first drones to the lunar surface. The equipment is intended to arrive before the first Artemis crew lands, possibly as early as 2028. Artemis III, scheduled for mid-2027, will involve astronauts practicing docking procedures with landers from Blue Origin and SpaceX. The second phase, beginning in 2029, will focus on permanent infrastructure such as a power grid. Extended astronaut stays in permanent habitats are planned for the 2030s. NASA’s moon base program executive noted the base could eventually span hundreds of square miles, marked by drones at its boundaries. The project aims to support scientific research, foster a lunar economy and prepare for future Mars missions.
