In a press conference hosted by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, he presented to the media the plan to establish a base on the Moon by 2032.
Phase 1 will last until 2029, with a number of manned and unmanned missions to the Moon to conduct experiments and ensure reliable access to the lunar surface.
In Phase 2, spanning from 2029 to 2032, NASA will build temporary and permanent infrastructure on the surface of Earth's natural satellite, while also establishing a temporary presence.
Phase 3, scheduled to begin in 2032, will aim to establish a permanent presence on the Moon with rotating crews.
In Phase 1, NASA will launch three unmanned Moon Base missions.
In the Moon Base I mission, scheduled to launch as early as the fall of 2026, NASA will use Blue Origin's Blue Moon Mark 1 lander to transport equipment for studying the lunar surface and how propulsion systems interact with it.
The Moon Base II mission, scheduled to launch later this year, will carry nearly 500kg of cargo aboard Astrobotic's Griffin lander, including Astrolab's FLIP rover.
The Moon Base III mission, also scheduled for launch this year, will be launched using Intuitive Machines' Nova-C Trinity lunar lander and will study light vortices on the lunar surface, aiming to improve our understanding of surface evolution and the behavior of matter under extreme conditions.
This mission will involve research equipment from ESA (European Space Agency) and the Korea Institute for Space Science and Astronomy.
The NASA administrator said these are the first of more than a dozen missions that will be announced this year.
"Each mission—managed and unmanned—will be a learning opportunity as we return to the lunar surface, build habitable infrastructure, and master the skills necessary to live and operate in one of the harshest, most dangerous environments imaginable," Isaacman said.