If solved
Permanent Moon Base
A permanently staffed outpost near the lunar south pole; NASA announced a plan in March 2026 targeting a permanent presence by 2036.
Open in the interactive tree →NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman presented a $30 billion plan in three stages, with a crewed landing planned for 2028 and a nuclear reactor eventually needed to bridge months-long shadow periods; the Gateway station was effectively cancelled. These are targets: they depend on crewed landers that have not yet reached the surface and on habitats that protect crews from radiation.
What it brings
- Crews staying on the Moon for months instead of days
- Tests of habitats, life support and local propellant before Mars
- Use of lunar water ice for air, water and fuel
Prerequisites
Unlocks
- Permanent Mars base2040s?A Moon base tests habitats, life support and local propellant before Mars
- Factories on Moon and MarsopenA staffed lunar outpost is the first place for factories using Moon resources