NASA unveiled a sweeping set of agencywide initiatives at its “Ignition” event Tuesday, planning to accelerate its return to the Moon, build a long-term lunar presence, shape the future of low Earth orbit, expand science missions and move nuclear propulsion closer to flight as part of President Donald Trump’s national space policy.NASA Administrator Jared said, “NASA is committed to once again achieving the nearly impossible, returning to the Moon before the end of President Trump’s term, building a moon base, establishing a permanent presence, and doing other things necessary to ensure American leadership in space. That’s why it’s essential that we leave an event like Ignition with full alignment on the national imperative that is our collective mission. The clock is ticking in this great power competition, and success or failure will be measured in months, Not in years.” Isaacman.Associate Admin. Rather than forcing an outcome that the market cannot support. In our science mission, we are opening up the lunar surface to researchers and students across the country, and with Space Reactor-1 Freedom, we are finally getting nuclear propulsion out of the lab and into deep space. And it’s all possible by investing in our people, bringing critical skills back into the agency, putting our teams where the machines are being built, and creating real pathways for NASA’s next generation of leaders. Have been. Our workforce is the jewel of NASA, and they need clear mission goals, the tools to execute, and go out of their way from their leaders. That’s what Ignition is about.”The centerpiece of the announcement was NASA’s updated Moon strategy. The agency said the plan builds on earlier Artemis changes, including standardizing the Space Launch System rocket, adding another mission in 2027, and aiming for at least one lunar surface landing every year thereafter. Under that architecture, Artemis III, scheduled for 2027, will test integrated systems and operational capabilities in Earth orbit prior to the Artemis IV lunar landing.Looking beyond Artemis V, NASA said it will begin incorporating more commercially purchased and reusable hardware to support more frequent and affordable crewed missions to the lunar surface. The agency said it is initially targeting a landing every six months, with the possibility of increasing that pace as capabilities mature.
The base is to be built in phases
As part of that effort, NASA also announced a phased approach to the construction of a moon base with the aim of creating a permanent human presence on the lunar surface. The agency said it intended to stop the gateway in its current form and instead focus on infrastructure that supports continued surface operations. NASA said applicable hardware will be reused and international partner commitments will be used to help advance those goals, with a request for information and a draft request for proposals being released in the coming days.NASA said that the lunar base plan will come out in three phases. The first phase, Build, Test, Learn, will use the delivery of commercial lunar payload services and the Lunar Terrain Vehicle program to expand lunar activity through technology demonstrations involving rovers, instruments and mobility, power generation, communications, navigation, surface operations and science. The second phase, Establish Early Infrastructure, will introduce semi-habitable infrastructure and routine logistics to support recurring astronaut operations, while incorporating major international contributions such as JAXA’s pressurized rover. The third phase, Enable Long-Term Human Presence, will rely on a cargo-capable human landing system to provide heavy infrastructure for a sustained human foothold on the Moon, including ASI’s multi-purpose habitat and CSA’s lunar utility vehicle.
Lunar science will expand with faster missions
NASA said that moon formation will also open new opportunities for science. The agency said it plans to accelerate the delivery of science and technology payloads to the lunar surface, along with an accelerated CLPS cadence with a goal of 30 robotic landings starting in 2027. These missions will include opportunities for rovers, hoppers and drones with invited contributions from industry, academia and international partners. Near-term payloads include the VIPER rover and the LuSEE-Night mission.An RFI issued March 24 will seek payloads that will support NASA’s science and technology goals for additional 2027 and 2028 flights, while also creating opportunities for students and researchers across the country to work on instruments for the Moon. NASA said the same RFI will also seek payloads for future Mars missions, including a Mars telecommunications network and a nuclear technology demonstration mission.
LEO transition associated with ISS
Beyond the Moon, NASA said it is reaffirming its commitment to low Earth orbit, even as it plans for the eventual end of the International Space Station. The agency said the station has supported more than 4,000 research investigations, more than 5,000 researchers and visitors from 26 countries, but may not operate indefinitely. NASA said the transition to commercial stations must be deliberate and structured to support long-term industry success.To support that transition, NASA said it is introducing an additional low Earth orbit strategy that would preserve current routes while adding a phased, International Space Station-anchored approach. Under that concept, NASA would purchase a government-owned core module that would be attached to the station, followed by commercial modules that would be tested using station capabilities and later separated in free flight. Once technical and operational capabilities mature and market demand is met, the stations will be separated and NASA will become one of many customers purchasing commercial services. NASA said it will also expand industry opportunities, including private astronaut missions, commander seat sales, joint missions, multiple module competitions and prize-based awards. An industry RFI is scheduled to open on Wednesday, March 25.
Nuclear propulsion mission scheduled for Mars
In a separate major announcement, NASA said it will launch Space Reactor-1 Freedom, said to be the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, to Mars before the end of 2028 to demonstrate advanced nuclear electric propulsion in deep space. The agency said nuclear electric propulsion provides efficient mass transportation in deep space and supports high-power missions beyond Jupiter, where solar arrays are not effective.NASA said that when SR-1 Freedom reaches Mars, it will deploy the Skyfall payload of Ingenuity-class helicopters to continue exploring the planet. According to the agency, the mission will install flight legacy nuclear hardware, set regulatory and launch precedents, and help activate the industrial base for future fission power systems in propulsion, surface operations, and long-duration missions.NASA said the initiative will also depend on rebuilding the agency’s capabilities. The agency said it was restoring core competencies, converting thousands of contractor positions into civil service, and strengthening its engineering, technical and operational base. NASA also said it is expanding opportunities for interns and early career professionals and creating new pathways for experienced industry talent through term-based appointments, in partnership with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and NASA Force.NASA said the changes announced Tuesday will be implemented in the coming months, as agency teams work to maintain key programs and partnerships. The agency also said it will engage subject-matter experts across the supply chain, including key vendors, subcontractors and critical-path component providers, to help challenge assumptions, solve problems, accelerate production and get the right results.
