The U.S. administration has presented a draft federal budget for the 2027 fiscal year, which includes funding for establishing the “first permanent American presence” on Earth’s satellite. This involves deploying key elements of a habitable base in the region of the Moon’s south pole, TASS reports.

According to the document, $175 million is planned to be allocated for automated missions. These unmanned systems will prepare the groundwork for future astronaut landings. Overall, the funding request for NASA’s Artemis lunar program amounts to $8.5 billion. The main goal is to return humans to the lunar surface by the end of 2028.

“Artemis-2” Mission: Returning to the Moon after half a century

An important step toward building the base was the successful launch of the Artemis-2 mission, which took place on April 1 from the spaceport at Cape Canaveral. The Orion spacecraft carries four astronauts: three from the United States and one from Canada.

During the 10-day flight, the crew will fly around the Moon at a distance of approximately 8,000 kilometers from its surface. This is the first crewed mission to the Moon since the historic Apollo 17 mission in 1972. If successful, humans will reach a record distance from Earth in the history of spaceflight.

The construction of a permanent station on the Moon will open a new chapter in space exploration. Such a base will enable long-term scientific research, testing of technologies for future missions to Mars, and provide humanity with a reliable outpost beyond Earth’s orbit.

ORIENT