What is NASA’s Moon Base programme and why does it want India to be part of it? | Explained

NASA is looking to establish an ambitious lunar outpost programme, a first of its kind in the world where humans (astronauts) will make the Moon’s south pole a home from where they will live, work and conduct scientific activities over the next decade and beyond

ScienceNews Info Wire2 min read
What is NASA’s Moon Base programme and why does it want India to be part of it? | Explained

NASA is looking to establish an ambitious lunar outpost programme, a first of its kind in the world where humans (astronauts) will make the Moon’s south pole a home from where they will live, work and conduct scientific activities over the next decade and beyond

Updated – August 18, 2026 10:09 am IST

Hemanth C.S.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, with acting Associate Administrator Lori Glaze and Moon Base Program Executive Carlos Garcia-Galan, holds a news conference on updated plans for the Moon Base initiative, at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S. on May 26, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters

The story so far: At the ninth meeting of the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG), held in Bengaluru on August 5 and 6, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) offered a formal invitation to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to be part of its ambitious Moon Base programme under the Artemis Accords.

NASA is looking to establish an ambitious lunar outpost programme, a first of its kind in the world where humans (astronauts) will make the Moon’s south pole a home from where they will live, work and conduct scientific activities over the next decade and beyond. The U.S. space agency, along with its partners, will execute a series of crewed and uncrewed missions.

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