Moonbase

A lunar base, moon base, or lunar colony are a (planned) research station, resort or similar establishment on the Moon.

Construction of outposts on the Moon, is thought to be helpful for testing how to build settlements on other planets and natural satellites.


The Moon is only 360,000 kilometers or 250,000 statute miles away from the Earth.

Plans that are led by the U.S, and by China

There are plans for building outposts.

Humans' "first settlement of the Moon [is expected to go from, or] will progress from pressurized landers and rovers to ... bases that look like the International Space Station", according to media (2024).

Project led by the United States

The Artemis program has scheduled several landings (with humans onboard), at the Moon's south polar region.

Artemis 4 is supposed to put astronauts on the moon in late 2028.

As of 2026, there is a plan for making a moon base, by 2032; Getting rovers and landers to the moon, is part of that plan; CLPS and HLS are supposed to take the rovers and landers there; LTV, a kind of rover, is under development.

A moon base is supposed to stay in one place, also known as being fixed [in one place].

China-led project

Making an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) on the Moon, is expected to happen some time after Chang'e 7, and 8, as well as the Russian missions Luna 26, and 27. Flights in regard to the construction of ILRS, are expected to begin after the Chang'e 8 mission has finished; That flight is supposed to happen no earlier than 2028.

Other ideas about moonbases

In regard to construction of a moonbase inside lava tubes on the Moon: Arguably the best moon colony option would be to place it within one of the Moon's lava tubes (or lunar lava tube), where it would be protected from radiation, micrometeorites, and the wild temperature swings due to the lack of any substantial atmosphere and the lunar day being 672 hours long.

Sources

  1. ↑ https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/space/what-will-the-first-moon-bases-really-be-like.html. Retrieved 2025-05-12
  2. 1 2 "Artemis III". NASA. 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  3. ↑ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/artemis-3-and-beyond-whats-next-for-nasa-after-artemis-2-moon-success. Retrieved 2026-04-11
  4. ↑ Foust, Jeff (21 July 2019). "NASA outlines plans for lunar lander development through commercial partnerships". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  5. ↑ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasas-lunar-gateway-space-station-is-out-moon-bases-are-in. Retrieved 2026-04-12
  6. ↑ "Lunar Living: NASA's Artemis Base Camp Concept – Artemis". NASA Blogs. 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  7. ↑ Evans, C. A.; Bell, M. S.; Graff, T.; Calaway, M. (2021-01-11). "Science Backroom Support for Sustained Lunar Surface". NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS). Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  8. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2023-03-13). "NASA planning to spend up to $1 billion on space station deorbit module". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  9. ↑ Jones, Andrew (17 February 2021). "Russia, China to sign agreement on international lunar research station". SpaceNews. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  10. ↑ Jessie Yeung (10 March 2021) China and Russia agree to build joint lunar space station
  11. ↑ https://www.astronomy.com/space-exploration/lunar-lava-tube-could-shelter-a-future-moon-base/. Retrieved 2025-05-14