NASA announces 3 uncrewed missions to the moon this year to prepare to build a base

SpaceNASA announces 3 uncrewed missions to the moon this year to prepare to build a baseThe agency aims to begin constructing a lunar base in 2029, then have a sustained human presence on the moon starting a few years later.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Earth dips beyond the lunar horizon in this first photo from the far side of the Moon captured from Orion on April 6.NASAShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 26, 2026, 4:23 PM EDTBy Denise ChowNASA on Tuesday announced plans for three uncrewed missions to the moon later this year that will serve as early steps toward the long-term goal of building a permanent base on the lunar surface.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.During these missions — all robotic flights — NASA aims to scout locations at the moon’s South Pole, gather scientific data, test technologies and prepare for the return of its astronauts to the lunar surface.“We are not jumping right into the glass dome moon base,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Tuesday in a news briefing. “We intend to take an iterative approach, sending a demand signal to industry for a lot of landers and rovers and tech demonstrations, and all the scientific payloads these missions can accommodate.”NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman speaks on May 19 in Washington.Kevin Dietsch / Getty ImagesThe newly announced missions, known as Moon Base 1, Moon Base 2 and Moon Base 3, are all slated to launch by the end of this year. The first is scheduled for no earlier than this fall, Isaacman said.Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is set to play a major role in that first mission. NASA awarded the company a contract to carry two science and technology payloads to the moon using its lunar lander. All three flights are part of the first phase of NASA’s long-term plan to build a base on the moon. That initial phase is expected to last through 2029. Then during the second phase, from 2029 to 2032, NASA plans to assemble...