Pictured - Lunar base planned for 2033-2034 will allow intensified exploration of Earth's satellite // Photo: nasa.gov .
The project is scheduled to be implemented over seven years and will require $20 billion in U.S. federal funding.
Change of strategy
With this project NASA intends to change the strategy of lunar exploration. Previously planned to create an orbital station “Lunar Gateway”, which would become a hub during flights to the moon. Isaacman said that the decision is due to the need to create infrastructure for a permanent human presence on the Earth’s satellite. According to him, the U.S. National Aerospace Agency is no longer interested in short-term missions.
The project “Lunar Gateway” will take as a basis for the future ground station, for which significant changes will be made in the design of modules. The multi-billion dollar contracts NASA has signed with contractors will also need to be adjusted.
A significant portion of NASA’s budget
The U.S. Congress, which approves the allocation of funds to NASA from the federal budget, approves the project. Given that the construction of the lunar station is designed for seven years, on average, each year it will be allocated $2.85 billion. With the current annual budget of NASA in $25 billion, the share of the project will be 11%.
On the way to Mars
The appearance of a permanent lunar station will be an important step on the way to the exploration of Mars. In the course of the project, all possible difficulties that may arise during the exploration of the Red Planet will be worked out.
NASA plans are confirmed and statements about the upcoming launch of an interplanetary spacecraft “Space Reactor-1 Freedom”. The apparatus is planned to send to Mars by the end of 2028.
The Artemis II mission, which will send a crew of four astronauts to the Moon, will be launched on April 1 at the earliest. The flight to the moon will be the first in more than 50 years. The mission, which will circle the satellite, will not land on the surface. The mission is expected to plot a route for future landing and base construction.
