NASA Moon Base Programme: ISRO Invited to Join
Why in the news
NASA formally asked India’s space agency to take part, during a bilateral CSJWG session hosted at ISRO’s Bengaluru headquarters. The offer builds on cooperation under the Artemis Accords.
Key facts
- Lead agency: NASA; announced in 2026.
- Goal: the first permanent human base on the Moon, for living, working, research and testing deep-space survival technology.
- Targets: lasting presence, study of water ice, and a stepping stone to crewed Mars missions.
Features
- South Pole siting: ridges get near-constant sunlight for power, while shadowed craters hold water ice.
- Private partners: Astrobotic, Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace and Intuitive Machines supply landers, rovers and drones.
- ISRU: using lunar regolith and ice to produce oxygen, drinking water and rocket fuel on the spot.
- Modular growth: expandable habitats, uncrewed cargo landers, power grids and pressurised rovers.
- Open data: science and environmental findings to be shared internationally under the Artemis Accords.
Exam angle
- Framework: Artemis Accords.
- Related term: ISRU.