They waste billions in vain: NASA will focus on building a lunar base instead of an orbital station

NASA in a New Form: Plans and Priorities After the Appointment of Jared Isaacman

Yesterday, when Jared Isaacman (billionaire, founder of SpaceX’s Starship platform) took office as NASA chief, he immediately announced a complete overhaul of the agency’s strategy. His main idea is “to prevent China from outpacing the United States in lunar exploration.” According to Isaacman, this requires radically changing the approach to lunar missions and eliminating all “empty” programs.

1. Why the Time for Change Has Come
- Problems with the Old Model

For many years NASA tried to “please everyone,” which led to wasteful spending, multi‑year delays, and a low number of successful flagship missions. As Isaacman noted, billions of dollars were spent in vain, and many planned spacecraft never launched.

- Inspector General Reports

Inspection reports state that American taxpayers have already invested roughly $100 million in returning to the Moon. People are growing tired of waiting for further action.

2. Transition from Orbit to Surface
- Cancellation/Postponement of Gateway

The planned near‑lunar station “Gateway” – an ISS analogue but orbiting the Moon – is now considered unnecessary in the short term. China and Russia are already working on a lunar base, and NASA sees higher value in direct surface presence.

- New Focus

The new plan prioritizes establishing a “lunar base.” Gateway could be restored later, but right now all attention is focused on landings and construction on lunar regolith.

3. Structure of the New Program
Stage | Period | Number of Landings | Transportable Cargo | Key Assets
---|---|---|---|---
I | 2028–21 | 2 | 14 tons | Rover VIPER, “Moon Fall” drones, communication satellites
II | 2029–2032 | 7 | 260 tons | Hermetic rovers, isotope power sources, construction equipment
III | 2032–2036 | 28 | 150 tons | Habitat for 4 astronauts, nuclear reactors, laboratory, industrial complex

Total program cost – about $30 billion. Each stage will be carried out through an expanded Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, where private companies deliver cargo and equipment.

4. How Partners Will Be Attracted
- International Cooperation

NASA plans to invite foreign countries to participate in the project to jointly develop technologies and infrastructure.

- Business Sector

The program will include both large corporations and startups. Contests for supplies and contracts are already being discussed with potential contractors.

5. Human Resources Aspect
Isaacman emphasized that one of the main problems is a shortage of qualified specialists: many experts are in pre‑retirement age or have already crossed it. Therefore, it is necessary to start “from scratch” – attract young generations through educational programs and kindergartens to ensure long‑term sustainability of human resources.

Summary:

The new NASA chief announced a sharp shift in strategy: from an orbital station to building a full lunar base within ten years. This decision is driven by the need to compete with China and Russia and eliminate inefficiencies of previous programs. The plan includes three mission stages, significant investments, and active engagement of the private sector and international partners. The core task remains strengthening human resources for future generations of space engineers.