Lunar

• NASA has unveiled plans for a sprawling, city-like lunar outpost that could eventually stretch over hundreds of square miles. • The agency's administrator described the current era as a "Golden Age" of lunar exploration, signaling a shift toward permanent habitation. • This initiative matters as it transitions moon missions from short-term visits to the establishment of a long-term human presence on the lunar surface.

Three lunar landings are planned for this year in preparation for the construction of a $20bn moon baseSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailNasa announced on Tuesday ambitious plans for three uncrewed lunar missions this year to kickstart construction of a $20bn moon base, and said it had chosen Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to conduct the first.The revelation by Nasa’s administrator, Jared Isaacman, at a press conference in Washington DC marked the first detailed public explanation of how and when the moon base will be built. Continue reading...

• The Artemis II crew completes its historic lunar flyby mission, with crew members returning to Earth on April 10 after traveling farther from Earth than any humans in decades. • During the mission, the crew captured unprecedented photographs of Earth passing behind the Moon and observed portions of the lunar surface never previously seen by human eyes. • The mission marks a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, re-inspiring public interest in space exploration through iconic imagery showing Earth's perspective from unprecedented distances.

• NASA revealed a $20 billion fast-tracked initiative to establish a permanent moon base, with the rocket for astronaut lunar missions launching Wednesday. • The plan accelerates U.S. space exploration goals amid competition, building on Artemis program advancements for sustainable lunar presence. • This development matters for enabling long-term human spaceflight, resource utilization, and preparation for Mars missions.

• NASA announced revisions to its lunar exploration plans, delaying the first crewed Artemis IV landing to early 2028 while pausing the Gateway lunar station to prioritize a surface base. • The International Space Station's retirement is postponed to the mid-2030s, with plans to add detachable modules for a future standalone station, facing pushback from private space firms. • NASA will launch Space Reactor-1 Freedom, a nuclear engine demonstration to Mars, scheduled for December 2028 to test advanced propulsion.

• NASA announced an accelerated timeline for America's return to the lunar surface, with Artemis 4 lunar landing attempts beginning in 2028. • The National Space Policy implementation includes preparations for establishing a moon base and increased mission cadence under NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's leadership. • This ambitious plan reflects commitment to sustained lunar exploration and positions the United States to never relinquish moon dominance while advancing toward Mars missions.