NASA's Jared Isaacman unveiled the space agency's first moon base rovers and landers

NASA unveiled new steps toward a permanent human moon outpost in the 2030s as part of the Artemis program. Contract awards were made to private companies for new crewed lunar vehicles and additional uncrewed cargo landers. NASA also released technological milestones and timelines for a sequence of crewed missions. The rollout emphasized higher public visibility compared with past bureaucratic announcements. Blue Origin received attention for its Mark 1 lunar cargo lander, planned to deliver two missions carrying science and technology tests to the moon’s south pole. The south pole is targeted for future Artemis astronaut landings and the planned moon base. Blue Origin also supplies a Mark 2 lander option for carrying astronauts to the moon’s surface in the Artemis IV mission.

"NASA administrator Jared Isaacman and other officials unveiled the space agency's next small steps toward its long-sought giant leap of creating a permanent human outpost on the moon in the 2030s. The announcement included contract awards to private companies for new crewed lunar vehicles and additional uncrewed cargo landers, as well as additional technological milestones and timelines for NASA's planned sequence of crewed missions as part of its Artemis program."

"Taking place on a brightly-lit stage at the agency's headquarters, NASA's rollout of its latest lunar ambitions stood in stark contrast to years past, when similar announcements were often conveyed in obscure bureaucratic missives. This new higher-visibility approach shows just how much the space agency is seeking stronger engagement from the general public, as well as from a burgeoning U.S. space industry."

"Overall, the announcements marked a sort of lunar coming-out party for Jeff Bezos's rocket firm Blue Origin, whose Mark 1 lunar cargo lander will ferry two missions carrying science and technology tests to the moon's south pole. This remote lunar region is the intended site of future Artemis astronaut landings and, of course, the much ballyhooed moon base."

"Besides its Mark 1 cargo mission, Blue Origin is also supplying a crewed spacecraft, the Mark 2 lander, as an option for carrying astronauts to the moon's surface in the Artemis IV mission targete"

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