How NASA is thinking about a moon base
spacenews.com Oct 15, 2026

How NASA is thinking about a moon base

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

In a new episode of SpaceNews’ “Space Minds” podcast, host Mike Gruss interviews Shatel Bhakta, NASA’s principal systems engineer for the Moon Base program, to outline the roadmap toward a sustainable lunar outpost by 2028. Bhakta details the technical milestones required, including habitat design, power generation, life‑support integration, and the incremental testing of surface‑based systems through the Artemis missions. He emphasizes a step‑by‑step approach that leverages existing launch capabilities, commercial partnerships, and iterative prototyping on the lunar surface. The discussion also covers how NASA plans to coordinate international collaborators, manage risk, and ensure that each mission builds on the data collected from previous landings, creating a scalable architecture for long‑term habitation.

💡 Why It Matters

  • · The episode reveals the concrete engineering timeline that turns the abstract concept of a lunar colony into a near‑term, testable reality.