NASA Awards Hundreds of Millions to Blue Origin and Others to Build a Permanent Moon Base by the 2030s
Less than two months after a historic crewed flyaround, NASA has awarded contracts to Blue Origin, Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, and Firefly Aerospace to deliver landers, rovers, and drones to the lunar south pole, marking the first phase of a permanent settlement.
A New Era of Lunar Infrastructure
NASA has officially moved beyond planning and into procurement for a permanent human presence on the Moon. On Tuesday, the agency announced the first phase of its ambitious moon base program, awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to four private U.S. companies. The contracts cover the delivery of robotic landers, lunar terrain vehicles, and surveillance drones to the lunar south pole, with the first uncrewed landing mission expected as early as autumn 2026.
Then we'll be able to say, 'Hey, we're permanently here and we're not giving it up.'
The initiative is a central pillar of the Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustained human footprint on the lunar surface to enable scientific research, foster a lunar economy, and lay the groundwork for future missions to Mars.
The Corporate Lineup and Their Missions
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin secured a $188 million contract to deliver rovers to the surface using its uncrewed Mark 1 cargo lander. The first mission, dubbed 'Moon Base One,' will target the rim of the Shackleton crater and is designed to demonstrate critical landing capabilities. Astrolab and Lunar Outpost received $219 million and $220 million respectively to build the lunar terrain vehicles that Blue Origin will transport.
For those waiting patiently, the grand return is close at hand and we will not slow down. We are really just getting started.
Firefly Aerospace, which achieved a successful lunar landing last year, was selected to build the spacecraft that will transport drones to the Moon for the 'MoonFall' mission. These drones will serve as perimeter markers for a base expected to sprawl over hundreds of square miles.
A Three-Phase Roadmap to Permanence
NASA's plan is structured in three distinct phases. The initial robotic phase begins this year and runs through 2029, involving over four tons of cargo delivered across 25 launches and 21 lunar landings. This phase will see the deployment of uncrewed landers from Blue Origin, Astrobotic Technology, and Intuitive Machines to scout the terrain and test technologies.
- First uncrewed Blue Origin Mark 1 lander mission 'Moon Base One' targets Shackleton crater rim.
- Second uncrewed lander by Astrobotic Technology delivers over 500 kg of cargo including a rover.
- Artemis III mission practices orbital docking of Orion capsule with crewed lunar landers.
- First crewed Artemis lunar landing targeted; all robotic hardware ideally in place beforehand.
- Phase 2 begins: construction of permanent infrastructure including a power grid and semi-permanent habitats.
- China targets its own first crewed lunar landing.
- NASA target for a permanent nuclear and solar-powered base at the south pole.
The second phase, from 2029 into the early 2030s, will focus on building permanent infrastructure, including a power grid and semi-permanent pressurized habitats where astronauts can work for up to 30 days without spacesuits. The third phase, expected sometime in the 2030s, will see the base ready to support astronauts for extended periods in specialized permanent habitats.
The Race with China and Schedule Skepticism
The push for a moon base comes amid a new space race with China, which is advancing its own plans to land humans on the Moon by 2030. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated the announcements mean the U.S. will "never again give up the Moon." However, some experts believe the timeline is unrealistic. Lunar scientist Simeon Barber told the BBC that he "wouldn't be surprised at all if China got there first," citing NASA's setbacks in securing a human landing system.
I wouldn't be surprised at all if China got there first.
Despite the pressure, NASA is targeting the Artemis III crewed landing for as soon as 2028, following a mid-2027 orbital docking practice mission. The goal is to have all robotic hardware in place before the first astronauts arrive.
