NASA unveils plans for lunar drones, robotic rovers at Moon’s South Pole

WASHINGTON: As part of its long-term plan to establish a sustained human presence on the Moon, NASA has unveiled a new strategy involving autonomous lunar drones, robotic vehicles and an extensive communications network around the Moon’s South Pole region.

During a Moon Base briefing at NASA Headquarters, officials said the agency is moving beyond symbolic lunar landings toward building a permanent operational system to support astronauts, scientific missions, cargo transport and future exploration of Mars.

A key element of the plan is “MoonFall,” a drone mission aimed at exploring difficult lunar terrain, searching for water ice and preparing landing sites for future Artemis astronauts. Moon Base programme executive Carlos Garcia Golan said the drones would help scientists cover wider areas and gather accurate surface data.

The drones are being developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, while Firefly Aerospace will build the spacecraft that will carry them from Earth orbit to the Moon. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2028.

Designed to make short “hops” across the lunar surface, the drones will explore permanently shadowed craters near the Moon’s South Pole. They will collect high-resolution imagery, map landing sites with centimetre-level precision and test technologies that can survive the Moon’s harsh nighttime temperatures.

NASA officials also said future lunar infrastructure may resemble a sprawling city rather than a compact base. Different facilities such as habitats, power systems, mining areas and scientific stations could be spread across hundreds of square miles because no single location offers all the ideal conditions for habitation and exploration.

Chief architect Nujoud Merancy explained that habitats may be built on sunlit ridges, while nuclear systems would likely be placed farther away for safety reasons.

NASA also confirmed plans for a large communications and navigation network around the Moon, supported by constellations of satellites to assist robotic and human missions. Administrator Jared Isaacman said the initiative reflects NASA’s broader push to expand deep-space exploration capabilities. (IANS)

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