NASA Shifts Focus: Building Lunar Base Over Orbiting Station
NASA's new administrator Jared Isaacman announces a strategic pivot - instead of an orbiting lunar station, the agency will now focus on establishing a permanent base on the moon's surface amid intensifying global space race.
NASA is making a strategic shift in its lunar exploration plans, pivoting from the development of an orbiting lunar station to the construction of a permanent base on the moon's surface. This announcement comes from the agency's newly appointed administrator, Jared Isaacman, amidst an intensifying global space race that now involves major players like Russia and China.
The decision to forgo the orbiting lunar station, known as the Lunar Gateway, in favor of a surface-based base represents a significant change in NASA's approach to returning humans to the moon. The Lunar Gateway was envisioned as a critical component of the Artemis program, serving as a staging area for missions to the lunar surface. However, under the new leadership, the agency has recognized the potential benefits of a more direct path to establishing a sustained presence on the moon.
{{IMAGE_PLACEHOLDER}}According to Isaacman, the shift in focus is driven by a desire to accelerate the timeline for human exploration of the moon and the potential scientific and technological advancements that a lunar base could enable.
Source: Deutsche Welle
