One of the main objectives of NASA’s Artemis moon missions is to construct an expensive moon base farther south on the lunar surface than any Apollo astronaut ever traveled.
While the lunar headquarters is a few years away from taking shape, work is underway to determine how such an unprecedented undertaking could possibly be achieved.
After first highlighting specifics about the moon base in March, NASA leaders are now preparing to outline how work has progressed toward making the vision a reality. A news conference in which the U.S. space agency will announce updates on the moon base comes as NASA also prepares for a potential 2027 launch of Artemis III – the next human spaceflight under the lunar campaign from the Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Here’s what to know about the moon base and how to watch NASA’s live coverage of the news conference today (May 26.)
What is NASA’s moon base?
NASA leaders have previously announced plans to construct a $20 billion moon base toward the largely unexplored lunar south pole. The base would come together during both uncrewed and crewed missions to deliver vehicles, equipment and infrastructure to the moon.
Once completed, the base would be where astronauts could live and work longterm with the dual objectives of studying the moon while also helping NASA learn how best to send the first humans to Mars.
NASA to outline moon base plans
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and two other agency officials are due May 26 to provide a public update to the media on the status of the moon base plans.
During the briefing, which will take place at NASA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, the leaders will outline updates and share progress toward the goal of establishing “a sustained presence on the lunar surface,” according to a news release.
When, how to watch NASA coverage of moon base update today
NASA will provide live coverage of the news conference beginning at 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, May 26.
The livestream will be available on the agency’s free NASA+ streaming service, as well as its YouTube channel.
Livestream: Watch NASA moon base update
When will astronauts land on the moon? What to know about Artemis
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the space agency is planning to put astronauts on the surface of the moon for the first time since the Apollo era ended in 1972.
Not only is Earth’s celestial neighbor a pristine time capsule ripe for study – preserved almost unaltered throughout the course of billions of years – but the moon is viewed as a stepping stone for human exploration deeper into space. One of the prime objectives of the Artemis program is to determine how humans can survive and thrive on the lunar surface before they head to Mars.
In April, four astronauts traveled around the moon and back on the Artemis II mission without landing in a critical test of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion crew capsule central to the missions. Next, four more astronauts will travel to Earth orbit in 2027 on the Artemis III mission that will test one or both commercial lunar landers being developed by spaceflight companies SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Those two test missions are meant to set the stage for the first of many planned human moon landings beginning as early as 2028 with Artemis IV.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. Subscribe to the free Florida TODAY newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Watch live as NASA announces updates to Artemis moon base plans
Reporting by Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
