第一阶段为 2026—2029 年，重点是机器人探索与实验，NASA 表示将至少执行 25 次任务和 21 次着陆。未来三年内，计划发射月球车、用于未来机动的载人型号、无人机、表面反应堆、新一代卫星和载荷；另有 Moon Base II 和 III 任务，用于测试更复杂的月球车操作以及研究极端月球环境下材料和系统的行为。
第二阶段自 2029 年开始，进入半永久基础设施组装与首次驻留，计划部署先进能源系统、初始居住单元和更强通信网络，并在 24 次任务中运送最多 60 吨货物。第三阶段将扩展为可持续运营站点，形成稳定人员轮换、居住模块、可靠供电和后勤网络，且每年约运输 38 吨货物用于维护与扩建。
NASA has now detailed its phased plan to build the first lunar base at the moon’s south pole, even though full construction is expected to take at least a decade. The agency shifted priority away from the Gateway orbital station and toward the lunar surface to cut operating costs and speed up the Artemis schedule. One early milestone is Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander test, scheduled for late 2026 / fall 2026; if it succeeds, Blue Origin says a crewed version could follow around 2028.
Phase one runs from 2026 to 2029 and centers on robotic exploration and experimentation. NASA says it expects at least 25 missions and 21 surface landings, including rovers, crewed mobility prototypes, drones, surface reactors, next-generation satellites, and payloads. Additional Moon Base II and III missions will test more complex rover operations and study how materials and systems behave under extreme lunar conditions.
Phase two starts in 2029 and begins semi-permanent infrastructure assembly and initial occupancy, with advanced energy systems, early habitat elements, and stronger communications. NASA plans up to 24 missions to deliver as much as 60 tons of cargo. Phase three scales the base into durable, continuously staffed centers with habitable modules, reliable power, logistics networks, and about 38 tons of cargo shipped annually for maintenance and expansion.