NASA wants to build a base on the Moon by the 2030s – how and why it plans to build up to a long-term lunar presence

It’s about more than just beating China. As a space lawyer puts it, a Moon base would come with strategic, economic and scientific advantages.

By: Michelle L.D. Hanlon, University of Mississippi, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 30, 2026

Words: 1,234

Last Updated: 4 months ago

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By Michelle L.D. Hanlon, University of Mississippi

The next U.S. trip to the Moon isn’t about planting a flag. It’s about learning how to live and work there.

NASA has just reset its Artemis program, marking a clear strategic shift: Space exploration is moving away from a race to achieve milestones and toward a system built on repeated operations, a sustained presence and lunar infrastructure that could become part of the technology networks …

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