The story so far: At the ninth meeting of the India-U.S. Civil Space Joint Working Group (CSJWG), held in Bengaluru on August 5 and 6, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) offered a formal invitation to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to be part of its ambitious Moon Base programme under the Artemis Accords.

What is the Moon Base programme?

NASA is looking to establish an ambitious lunar outpost programme, a first of its kind in the world where humans (astronauts) will make the Moon’s south pole a home from where they will live, work and conduct scientific activities over the next decade and beyond. The U.S. space agency, along with its partners, will execute a series of crewed and uncrewed missions.

On March 24, 2026 the Moon Base programme was announced during NASA’s ‘Ignition’ event. NASA plans a series of transformative initiatives designed to achieve President Donald Trump’s National Space Policy, and advance American leadership in space. The project is expected to cost more than $20 billion.

When and how is NASA planning to execute the Moon Base programme?

At the Ignition event in March, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, “NASA is committed to achieving the near‑impossible once again, to return to the Moon before the end of President Trump’s term, build a Moon base, establish an enduring presence, and do the other things needed to ensure American leadership in space.”

The U.S. space agency is taking a step-by-step approach to execute this high stake mission. NASA plans to execute this mission in three phases.

The first phase has commenced and will extend till 2029. It will focus on gaining reliable access to the lunar surface and building a deeper understanding of the environment.

Phase two carries on till 2032 as NASA, along with its international partners, will look to extend from what it has learned from the first phase, and deploy the needed infrastructure for further continuing the mission.

Phase three, which is projected to come into effect from 2032, and extend from there on, is the most ambitious and critical phase of the mission as it plans to populate this region of the Moon where astronauts will live and work for an extended period.

Why is NASA planning to establish a lunar outpost in the Moon’s south pole?

The Moon is Earth’s closest celestial neighbour, and has fascinated humankind for long. Many missions, both crewed and uncrewed, have already taken place in the last few decades. However, the Moon Base is the most ambitious programme till date as the Americans, with their partners, look to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon, especially near the south pole, which has a volatile environment with temperatures ranging from -203°C to 54 °C.

NASA is hoping that exploring this hostile frontier in some areas, which never receives sunlight, will provide explorers answers to questions about the origin of the Moon, and the solar system as a whole. It also lays a platform for exploring other planets like Mars and Venus in the future.

Which other countries are planning similar programmes?

Like the US, there is another programme planned by Russia and China to set up a lunar base. The base, known as International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), is being planned to be established in the next decade by Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos and China National Space Administration.

The ILRS hopes to be a permanent base and a lunar satellite constellation. In the run up to this, China plans to land humans on the Moon by 2030. It has already launched a three-member crew to its orbiting space station earlier this year as part of this programme to send astronauts to the Moon by the end of the decade.

Many countries have already signed up to be members of the ILRS. The space agencies of Russia and China have published a partnership guide .In 2023, a Roscosmos official told The Hindu that Russia is open to India’s participation in the ILRS.

What role can ISRO play in the Moon Base programme?

NASA has invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme, building on the two countries’ partnership under the Artemis Accords, of which India is a member of since 2023. India became the 27th country to sign the Artemis Accords.

Following the signing of the accord, two Indian astronauts went to the US to train for the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (IIS). Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla eventually travelled to the ISS.

The latest invitation by NASA further opens the door for ISRO to gain international exposure on lunar studies considering that India is planning the upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission, which is meant to collect lunar samples and bring back them back to Earth.

Besides, as part of the Space Vision 2047, India plans to have its own Bharatiya Antariksha Station or the Indian Space Station in orbit by year 2035, and an Indian crewed lunar mission by 2040.

Published – August 13, 2026 05:02 pm IST