Program TrackerLive
Ignition Tracker
Tracking NASA's $20 Billion Lunar Base Program
Project Ignition is NASA's plan to build a permanent human presence on the Moon by 2033. Track milestones, contracts, companies, and infrastructure in real time.
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Total Budget
$20B
Over program lifetime
📅
Timeline
2026-2033
7-year build plan
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Phases
3
Build, Infra, Permanent
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Partners
5+
Nations contributing
📡Live Status
Current Phase
Phase 1: Build, Test, Learn
Expanding CLPS deliveries, conducting technology demonstrations, and preparing for first crewed lunar landing.
Phase 1 Progress~15%
Artemis II: CompleteArtemis III: NET 2027Artemis IV: 2028
Next Milestone
Artemis III — Earth-Orbit HLS Demo
Orion docks with Starship HLS & Blue Moon in Earth orbit
No Earlier ThanLate 2027
📋Program Timeline
Apr 1-10, 2026Completed
Artemis II crewed lunar flyby — complete
First crewed mission around the Moon since Apollo 17, flown successfully. Four astronauts (Wiseman, Glover, Koch, Hansen) flew around the Moon aboard Orion and returned safely to Earth.
NET Late 2027Upcoming
Artemis III Earth-orbit test (Starship HLS + Blue Moon)
Restructured in Feb 2026 from a lunar landing to an Earth-orbit demonstration of both the SpaceX Starship Human Landing System and Blue Origin Blue Moon lander. Crew announced Jun 9, 2026; Orion/SLS stacking underway as of Aug 2026.
~2028 (planned)Upcoming
Artemis IV first crewed lunar landing
First crewed landing on the lunar surface since Apollo 17 in 1972 (moved from Artemis III during the Feb 2026 restructuring), using the SpaceX Starship HLS near the lunar south pole.
Late 2028Upcoming
Space Reactor 1 Freedom to Mars
NASA's fission surface power system, developed under Project Ignition, will fly a demonstration reactor to Mars orbit.
FY 2032Upcoming
JAXA pressurized rover delivered
Japan's pressurized lunar rover delivered to the Moon, enabling long-range exploration beyond the immediate landing zone.
FY 2033Upcoming
Blue Origin habitat delivered
Blue Origin delivers a large-scale habitation module to the lunar surface, establishing the first permanent living quarters on the Moon.
2033Upcoming
Permanent human presence on Moon
All infrastructure elements combine to enable continuous human habitation at the lunar south pole base.
🏢Key Companies & Partners
SpaceX
Starship HLS (crew + cargo lander)
$2.9B+Blue Origin
Blue Moon lander (habitat delivery FY2033)
$3.4BNorthrop Grumman
HALO module (Gateway habitat)
$935MLockheed Martin
Orion spacecraft
$9.3B (cumulative)🇯🇵JAXA
Pressurized rover (FY2032)
🇪🇺ESA
I-Hab module & Orion service module
🇮🇹ASI (Italy)
HALO & surface contributions
🇨🇦CSA (Canada)
Canadarm3 & surface systems
🎯Three Phases of Project Ignition
1
Build, Test, Learn
~$10BExpand Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), fly technology demonstrations, deploy rovers, and deliver scientific instruments to the lunar surface.
✓Expanded CLPS deliveries to lunar surface
✓Technology demos for power, communications, ISRU
✓Robotic rovers and science instruments
✓Artemis II & III crew flights
2
Early Infrastructure
~$5BBuild out semi-habitable areas at the lunar south pole. Deliver JAXA pressurized rover. Establish consistent crew rotation and surface operations.
✓Semi-habitable surface areas established
✓JAXA pressurized rover (FY2032)
✓Consistent crew rotation schedule
✓Nuclear & solar power systems operational
✓Lunar cellular network activated
3
Long-Term Presence
~$5BDeploy larger habitats including Blue Origin's habitat module. Achieve permanent settlement with continuous human presence on the Moon by 2033.
✓Blue Origin habitat module (FY2033)
✓Permanent crew quarters
✓Full ISRU operations (water, oxygen, propellant)
✓Lunar GPS constellation
✓Self-sustaining base operations
🏗️Planned Base Infrastructure
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Nuclear & Solar Power
Fission surface power reactor + solar arrays for continuous energy supply
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Pressurized Rovers
JAXA-built pressurized rover for long-range exploration (100+ km)
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Unpressurized Rovers
Multiple robotic & crew rovers for surface mobility
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Lunar Cellular Network
Nokia-developed 4G/LTE network for base communications
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Lunar GPS
Satellite constellation for precision navigation on the Moon
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Satellite Constellations
Relay satellites in lunar orbit for continuous Earth-Moon comms
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HALO Module
Northrop Grumman habitat module for Gateway station
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I-Hab Module
ESA-built international habitation module for Gateway
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Blue Origin Habitat
Large-scale surface habitat for permanent crew quarters
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ISRU Systems
Water ice extraction, oxygen production, and regolith processing
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Subscribe to Newsletter❓Frequently Asked Questions
What is NASA Project Ignition?
Project Ignition is NASA's $20 billion initiative to build a permanent human base at the Moon's south pole. Announced in March 2026, it replaces the Lunar Gateway with a surface-first approach, using commercial partners and international agencies to establish permanent lunar habitation by 2033.
How much does Project Ignition cost?
$20 billion over seven fiscal years (FY2027-2033). Approximately $10 billion funds Phase 1 (robotic testing), with the remainder funding habitat construction and permanent infrastructure.
When will the Moon base be ready?
NASA targets permanent human presence by 2033. Phase 1 runs FY2027-2030, Phase 2 targets FY2030-2032, and Phase 3 delivers the Blue Origin habitat by FY2033.
Which companies are involved in Project Ignition?
SpaceX (Starship HLS), Blue Origin (Blue Moon lander + habitat), Northrop Grumman (HALO module), Lockheed Martin (Orion), plus international partners JAXA, ESA, ASI, and CSA.
What happened to the Lunar Gateway?
NASA paused Gateway to redirect resources to surface infrastructure. Gateway's HALO and I-Hab modules will be repurposed for surface deployment rather than assembled in lunar orbit.