NASA awards Blue Origin contracts as it accelerates Moon Base infrastructure for 2028 Artemis landing
With the 2028 crewed landing target approaching, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled three new Moon Base missions and secured critical cargo lander contracts, marking a significant step in sustained lunar operations.
NASA has announced three Moon Base missions scheduled to launch later this year to the Moon’s South Pole region, marking a pivotal advance in the agency’s strategy for sustained lunar presence. During a press event at its Washington headquarters on Tuesday, the space agency outlined these initial infrastructure missions as the first of more than a dozen to be announced this year. The deployments are designed to establish the necessary groundwork for the next crewed Artemis landing, which is currently targeted for 2028.
To support these infrastructure goals, NASA awarded Blue Origin $188 million, with an option period worth $280.4 million, for two cargo lander task orders. These contracts were issued under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) 1.0 framework, a competitive procurement mechanism intended to enable mobility and infrastructure development for future lunar operations. The awards for lunar rovers and uncrewed cargo landers were formalised during the Moon Base event, signalling a shift towards commercial partnerships in building out the lunar economy.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described the Moon Base initiative as a key component of future lunar operations, emphasising the strategic importance of the South Pole region. The agency’s approach relies on deploying uncrewed assets to secure landing sites and deliver essential supplies before human arrival. This phased strategy aims to mitigate risk and ensure that the 2028 Artemis mission has access to established infrastructure upon touchdown.
In addition to the primary Moon Base missions, NASA provided updates on the MoonFall mission, which plans to deploy four drones to survey potential landing sites. These aerial surveys will provide critical data on terrain and conditions, further refining the selection of operational zones. The inclusion of drone technology highlights the agency’s intent to utilise advanced tools for site reconnaissance in the challenging environment of the lunar South Pole.
While the specific launch dates for the three Moon Base missions remain undefined beyond the “later this year” timeframe, the announcement confirms the acceleration of NASA’s lunar roadmap. The agency has been outlining target launch timeframes and milestones for these first infrastructure missions, with the current announcements serving as a concrete step toward the broader vision of a permanent lunar base. The success of these early deployments will be closely watched by investors and policy makers alike as the Artemis programme moves closer to its crewed objectives.
