NASA announced plans to spend $20 billion over the next seven years to build a moon base near the lunar south pole, featuring habitats, pressurized rovers, and nuclear power systems.

Administrator Jared Isaacman said the revised Artemis program will prioritize frequent crewed landings—potentially twice a year—using commercial rockets from SpaceX, Blue Origin, and others, while pausing the Gateway lunar-orbit station to repurpose its modules for surface operations.

The moon base will be built in three phases: initial experimental missions, development of surface infrastructure and habitats, and permanent human presence with nuclear and solar power, communications networks, and lunar GPS.

NASA also plans to accelerate commercial space station development in low-Earth orbit and continue science missions, including Mars exploration using nuclear-powered systems, CBS News has reported.

Isaacman emphasized urgency and efficiency, stressing that the U.S. must secure a sustained lunar presence before international rivals like China.