Secret Nasa plans for lunar base and 37 rocket launches to the Moon 'revealed by leak online'

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NASA 's official plans to build a permanent base on the Moon have appeared, and they will return to the world for the first time in 50 years.

Nasa wants to launch 37 rockets to the Moon within the next decade, with at least five of these carrying astronauts.

Key points in Nasa's Moon based plans
Key points in Nasa's Moon based plans

Starting with an unmanned rover in 2023, the space agency is expected to land people on the Moon in 2024.

Nasa will then fire manned missions to Earth's neighbor every year between 2024 and 2028, according to the documents, which were obtained by Arstechnica.

The decade-long program culminates with a permanent lunar base, which Nasa wants to start building in 2028.

The plans began circulating among Nasa staff last week, according to Arstechnica's Eric Berger.

These official Nasa Moon plans were supposedly circulated to staff last week

Nasa

These official Nasa Moon plans were supposedly circulated to staff last week
Nasa wants to stick to a robotic rover on the Moon in 2023. It could look something like the £ 2billion Curiosity Mars rover (artist's print)

Nasa

Nasa wants to stick to a robotic rover on the Moon in 2023. It could look something like the £ 2billion Curiosity Mars rover (artist's print)

They are in part a response to recent calls from US VP Mike Pence to take astronauts back to the moon.

In the nearly two months since Pence directed Nasa to return to the Moon by 2024, space agency engineers have been working on this project .

"Last week, an updated plan that demonstrated a human landing in 2024, annual outings to the lunar surface thereafter, and the beginning of a moon base by 2028, commenced circulating within the agency."

Berger did not say how he got the plans, which has not yet been made public.

They are appearing with Nasa about its lunar program, codenamed Artemis.

As with any space exploration project, the main obstacle is cash.

Nasa reckons it will need £ 4.5billion to £ 6.5billion per year on top of Nasa's existing budget of about £ 16billion.

Boss Jim Bridenstine recently asked for an extra £ 1.3billion in fiscal year 2020 to start developing a lunar lander.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos unveils Origin Blue lunar lander called Blue Moon
An orbiting lunar base called Gateway forms part of Nasa's plans. Astronauts will begin building by 2028 (artist's impression)

Nasa

An orbiting lunar base called Gateway forms part of Nasa's plans. Astronauts will begin building by 2028 (artist's impression)

The plan also has links to overproducible content, which has hindered Nasa in the past.

Boeing has been developing the core of the agency's next-gen rocket, the Space Launch System, for eight years – but has yet to come up with the goods.

Boeing's handling of the multi-billion-pound contract, which is now over budget, has been blasted by Nasa's Inspector General.

Nasa was not immediately available for comment.

Nasa's next-gen rocket, the long-delayed Space Launch System (artist's print), forms a key part of the plans. It's yet to undergo any test flight

Nasa

Nasa's next-gen rocket, the long-delayed Space Launch System (artist's print), forms a key part of the plans. It's yet to undergo any test flight
The plan is to have a permanent human presence on the Moon by the 2030s (artist's impression)

Nasa

The plan is to have a permanent human presence on the Moon by the 2030s (artist's impression)

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In other space news, Nasa released a video last week teasing its Moon mission goals.

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos recently pledged to a man on the moon by a rocket built by his private space firm Blue Origin.

He also showed off sci-fi renders of his plans for giant rotating space habitats that could house a trillion people.

What do you think of Nasa's plans? Let us know in the comments!

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