SYSTEM NOTICE

Auto translation by AI. Be sure, accuracy, nuances and authorial intent may not be fully reflected.

From a Lunar Space Station to "Home" on the Moon: The Historic Pivot Chosen by NASA

2026年3月25日 09:18

On March 24, 2026, NASA held an event at its Washington headquarters dubbed "Ignition Day," where it announced a major shift in the Artemis program to the world. It is a significant decision to effectively freeze the "Lunar Gateway," a space station in lunar orbit that had been planned for many years, and instead steer toward building a permanent base on the lunar surface itself.

Upon hearing this news, many may have instinctively said, "Finally."

"Living on the Moon" rather than "Orbiting the Moon"

The Lunar Gateway was a small space station planned for construction in a Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) around the Moon. As a successor to the International Space Station (ISS), it was intended to serve as a transit point for astronauts heading to the lunar surface. Many international partners, including ESA, JAXA, and the Canadian Space Agency, had expressed their participation, and some hardware had already been manufactured by companies such as Northrop Grumman.

However, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated clearly this time:

"It should come as no surprise to anyone that we are pausing the Gateway in its current form to focus on infrastructure that supports sustained activity on the lunar surface."

Moving from a transit orbital station to base infrastructure that allows direct access to the lunar surface. There are several practical reasons for this decision. The NRHO where the Gateway was planned to be built is far from the lunar surface, posing the challenge of requiring a massive amount of fuel for landers to descend from orbit to the surface and return. A lunar base eliminates that waste.

The full picture of the lunar base, depicted in three phases

NASA announced that the construction of the lunar base will proceed in three stages. The total investment is approximately $20 billion (about 3 trillion yen). It will be implemented jointly with private and international partners.

Phase 1 (2026–2028) focuses on "reliably delivering to the Moon." Utilizing CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services), unmanned landers and rovers will be sent to the lunar surface to conduct technology demonstrations for power, communications, and navigation, as well as to survey candidate sites.

In Phase 2 (2029–2031), the construction of lunar infrastructure will begin in earnest. The development of modules for manned bases and supply systems will start, with a goal of two manned missions per year. Of note here is the participation of the "LUNAR CRUISER," a manned pressurized rover being jointly developed by JAXA and Toyota.

Phase 3 (2032 and beyond) is the long-term stay phase. Large cargo landers will transport heavy infrastructure to the lunar surface, making true "lunar habitation" possible. A multi-purpose habitat from the Italian Space Agency and a lunar transport vehicle from Canada are also expected to join.

What changes for Japan?

Japan has been deeply involved in the Gateway project. An agreement was in place for JAXA to provide the connection module "JEM" and for Japanese astronauts to have the opportunity to land on the lunar surface. The freezing of the Gateway in this announcement means that the premise for this is being shaken.

However, NASA has also indicated a policy to "repurpose" the hardware already manufactured for the Gateway and the agreements with international partners for the lunar surface program. It was also stated that the LUNAR CRUISER, developed by JAXA and Toyota, will be a core component of Phase 2. There is a strong possibility that Japan's presence will be maintained, albeit in a different form.

As organized in previous articles, NASA has clarified a two-company system with SpaceX and Blue Origin in the process of redesigning the entire Artemis program, aiming to "break away from dependence on a single company."

The same philosophy is being applied to the new goal of a lunar base. Rather than one company monopolizing it, an architecture utilizing the private sector that combines competition and cooperation is being drawn.

"Space Geopolitics" accelerated the decision

The movements of China cannot be ignored as the background that accelerated this policy shift. China has set a goal of a manned lunar landing by 2030 and is steadily advancing its own International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program. Administrator Isaacman stated frankly, "We have a real geopolitical competitor."

Space development now takes on a different aspect of competition than in the Apollo era. The goal of Apollo was to "plant a flag and come back." However, the core of this competition lies in "who will take root first" on the lunar surface. It is believed that water ice lies dormant at the lunar south pole, which can be used for drinking water, breathing oxygen, and rocket fuel. The structural change in the background is that the countries and companies that have a base on the lunar surface will effectively determine the rules for the next era of deep space exploration.

This decision was announced just one week before the launch of Artemis II (targeted for April 1st). This crewed flight, which will see four astronauts orbit the Moon, will be the first such achievement in 54 years since Apollo 17. The timing of the announcement reveals NASA's strong determination that 'if we don't act now, we won't make it in time.'

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/nasa-lunar-gateway-9.7140073

A 'Pivot' is also an opportunity

From the perspective of the space business, this policy shift is more than just a change in plans. It means that a lunar infrastructure investment on the scale of approximately $20 billion will be redesigned into a more open, private-sector-participatory format. This will create real demand, accelerating the need for commercial transport services through the CLPS program and fueling competition in the development of lunar rovers, energy systems, and habitation modules.

Of course, there are concerns as well. NASA itself admits that repurposing hardware manufactured for the Gateway will 'not be that simple,' and coordination with international partners will need to be rebuilt from scratch. After the announcement, Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), stated only that he would 'continue discussions with NASA after carefully examining the details.'

Whether we view the freezing of the Gateway as an 'end' or as the 'beginning' of a new chapter in lunar base construction—that will be determined by future developments.

On the day Artemis II orbits the Moon, we will be witnessing the start of a race that will shape the next half-century.

Reference Articles

〇NASA's lunar Gateway space station is out. Moon bases are in (March 24, 2026)

〇NASA halts work on Gateway to develop a lunar base (March 24, 2026)

〇NASA plans $20B moon base, but pauses lunar space station project (March 24, 2026)