NASA outlined the next phase of its plans to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon, releasing details of robotic landers, hopping drones and transport vehicles expected to support future lunar operations as the United States pushes to return astronauts to the Moon.

The programme forms part of the US goal of returning Americans to the lunar surface before President Donald Trump leaves office in 2029. At the same time, NASA continues to face increasing competition from China as both countries advance plans for future lunar missions.

China is also moving forward with its own lunar ambitions and plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030. On Monday, the country launched the Shenzhou-23 mission carrying astronauts to the Tiangong space station.

Earlier in March, NASA announced a $20 billion programme aimed at building a permanent base at the Moon’s south pole by 2032. The proposed facility is expected to operate using both nuclear and solar energy.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said the latest announcements show that the United States would “never give up the Moon again”.

A permanent lunar base would allow the US to conduct scientific research, potentially mine valuable resources and also make future travel to Mars easier.

But, many experts believe the agency’s proposed timeline may be difficult to achieve. Despite the success of NASA’s Artemis II mission, which sent four astronauts around the Moon in April, some scientists believe China could still become the next country to land humans on the lunar surface.

Lunar scientist Simeon Barber said it would not be surprising if China reached the Moon first, citing challenges NASA has faced in securing a spacecraft capable of landing astronauts safely.

NASA’s Ignition Moon Base programme has been structured into three phases.

Before humans arrive on the Moon, the agency plans to deploy robotic landers and hopping drones to explore, survey and map the Moon’s difficult terrain.

Vehicles designed for transporting astronauts and carrying communications equipment and scientific instruments across the lunar surface are also expected to be deployed.

NASA said companies including Blue Origin, Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic have been selected to develop the required technologies and equipment.

NASA wants Blue Origin’s Endurance lander to perform precise landings while operating with autonomous navigation and control systems.

Meanwhile, Astrobotic’s Griffin-1 lander is expected to land near Nobile Crater at the Moon’s south pole.

The robotic systems are also expected to deliver scientific instruments for NASA, including high-resolution cameras and equipment using reflected laser light technology to help guide landings.

According to Moon Base programme executive Carlos García-Galán, the robotic exploration phase is expected to continue through 2029 with 25 launches and approximately four metric tonnes of cargo delivered to the Moon.

The next phase of the programme involves building nuclear and solar-powered infrastructure, including fission reactors.

By 2032, NASA hopes astronauts will be able to live in what it described as “semi-permanent” housing on the Moon.

Rovers are also expected to help astronauts move across long distances on the Moon’s rocky terrain.

Scientists consider the Moon’s south pole especially important because frozen water in the area could potentially provide drinking water and also be used in producing oxygen.

NASA’s plans still depend heavily on the availability of a spacecraft capable of safely transporting astronauts to the lunar surface.

SpaceX is currently building the Starship Human Landing System, although the project has faced delays and several setbacks.

Barber said the biggest challenge remained getting astronauts safely onto the Moon’s surface, adding that there also appeared to be significant political pressure behind the programme’s announcements and timelines. (Arise News)