#NASA gives a thumbs-up to building a #moon base within a decade and sending a nuclear-powered spacecraft to #Mars by 2028 - while hitting the pause button on commercial space stations and a moon-orbiting outpost. Some say the plan is essential to beat China, while others wonder whether it's realistic or wise. https://cosmiclog.com/2026/03/24/nasa-pivots-to-moon-base-and-nuclear-mars-mission/ #Space #Ignition #Gateway
NASA pivots to moon base and nuclear Mars mission

NASA’s leaders today laid out an ambitious multibillion-dollar space exploration plan that calls for building a moon base over the next decade and launching a nuclear-powered probe to Mars by…

Cosmic Log
@alanboyle I’m glad they’ve ditched Gateway, and that it sounds like they’re downplaying SLS. A nuclear-electric craft seems *really* ambitious (and maybe just an excuse to redeploy some Gateway hardware). The moon base commitment is what they should have done originally, although we’ll see what the execution is. I don’t understand the notion of adding an element to ISS to promote commercial stations.