NASA’s Moon Base: How Chandrayaan-3 could give India an edge in the lunar race

NASA’s plan for a long-term human presence on the Moon is moving beyond brief astronaut visits, with India now potentially playing a role in the effort. The agency is developing a Moon Base near the lunar South Pole, where Chandrayaan-3 has given India valuable experience. The outpost is envisioned as a place where astronauts can live, conduct research and test technologies for deeper-space missions.

What is the real objective of the Moon Base?

The Moon Base is not simply about putting a permanent building on the lunar surface. It is intended to test whether humans can live and work for extended periods away from Earth, while developing systems for power, transportation, communications, resource extraction and construction.

NASA is already working with commercial partners on cargo landers, rovers and other infrastructure, with some lunar deliveries targeted for 2028. The technologies being developed include systems to generate and store power, extract water and oxygen from local resources, and build landing pads and other infrastructure.

Why is the lunar South Pole important?

The lunar South Pole is valuable because some permanently shadowed craters are extremely cold and may preserve water ice and other volatiles. Water could become one of the most important resources for a future settlement – for drinking, life support and potentially producing hydrogen and oxygen for fuel.

The region also contains areas that receive relatively prolonged sunlight, creating opportunities for solar power, while nearby shadowed regions could harbour ice. India has already contributed important knowledge about this difficult environment.

How does Chandrayaan-3 strengthen India’s position?

Chandrayaan-3 gave ISRO something far more valuable than a successful landing: first-hand experience of operating in the lunar South Polar region.

Vikram landed on August 23, 2023, and Pragyan conducted in-situ studies of the terrain. Its instruments measured temperature, seismic activity, plasma conditions and the elemental composition of lunar soil. ISRO says the rover travelled about 101 metres.

More recently, ChaSTE data have helped scientists understand the thermal behaviour of the polar regolith, information relevant to future habitat and resource planning.

What could ISRO’s role be – and what could India gain?

NASA invited ISRO to join its Moon Base programme during the India-US Civil Space Joint Working Group meeting in Bengaluru on August 5-6. The two sides also agreed to advance discussions on scientific data sharing.

India’s exact role has not yet been announced. But ISRO’s experience could make it a useful partner in robotic exploration, lunar science, landing technologies, surface mobility and resource mapping. Participation could also give Indian scientists and industry access to a much larger international lunar programme while strengthening India’s position in the emerging lunar economy.

Could the Moon become a resource hub and Mars launchpad?

The Moon could potentially become a resource hub and Mars launchpad – but that remains a long-term possibility, not an immediate reality.

If water ice can be extracted economically, it could support life-support systems and produce propellant. Lunar resources could eventually reduce the need to transport everything from Earth. The Moon’s lower gravity could also make it attractive for launching spacecraft deeper into the solar system.

That is why NASA describes the Moon Base as more than a destination. It is a test bed for technologies and operations needed for Mars. The lunar South Pole could ultimately become humanity’s first sustained foothold beyond Earth – and India now has an opportunity to help shape what that foothold becomes.