WASHINGTON (May 28, 2026) – NASA announced plans for three uncrewed missions to go to the moon. This marks the beginning of plans to build a permanent base on the lunar surface. During these fully robotic missions, NASA will scout locations on the moon’s south pole, collect data, test technologies and prepare for the return of astronauts to the lunar surface.
The missions, Moon Base 1, Moon Base 2 and Moon Base 3, are projected to launch by the end of this year. According to NASA administrator Jared Issacman, “This project is a $20 billion investment over the next seven years to establish a presence on the moon.”
For more analysis on these developments, please consider John Logsdon, Professor Emeritus at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs, where he was the founder and long-time director of GW’s Space Policy Institute. Logsdon's research interests focus on the policy and historical aspects of U.S. and international space activities. Logsdon is a member of the Board of Directors of the Planetary Society. In 2003, he was a member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, and formerly was a member of the NASA Advisory Council.
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