NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s announcement on March 24 outlining a detailed plan for a permanent lunar base marks an important milestone. After years of vague promises, the agency is finally committing to sustained human presence on the Moon. The plan calls for four to five surface habitats, multiple rovers, nuclear and solar power systems, advanced communications, navigation, landing systems, sample return, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) capabilities—including 3D manufacturing—all by 2036. Remarkably, Isaacman says the entire program can be funded within NASA’s existing budget, largely by pausing the Lunar Gateway and redirecting those resources to the surface.
This vision is long overdue and deserves applause. It moves beyond the “flags and footprints” approach that has frustrated many space advocates for decades. The Beyond Earth Institute, which has long called for exactly this kind of bold commitment, welcomes the clarity and ambition shown by Isaacman and the current administration.
However, the plan has a critical shortcoming: it lacks a clear strategy for long-term economic development. While the architecture focuses heavily on government-led infrastructure and science, it treats private companies mainly as vendors rather than as partners in building a self-sustaining lunar economy. The primary motivation cited is competition with China, with little mention of the commercial potential that could justify such a large investment.
This is a missed opportunity. A lunar base that exists only as a government outpost risks becoming another expensive, taxpayer-dependent project. History shows that ambitious exploration plans can fade quickly under political and budgetary pressure. To make the lunar presence lasting, NASA must pair its base-building efforts with deliberate steps to encourage commercial activity.
The authors recommend that NASA make the development of a lunar economy a co-equal goal alongside science and national security. Contracts for lunar surface activities should allow private operators to sell services and products to customers beyond NASA. This shift would help attract private investment and reduce long-term reliance on government funding.
To support this transition, NASA should create a Lunar Economic Development working group. This group, ideally chaired by the Department of Commerce and vice-chaired by NASA, would coordinate efforts to attract private capital, establish clear rules for government and commercial use of lunar assets, and guide the build-out of infrastructure that can support growing economic activity. Because lunar development will involve international partners, such a framework should also include dialogue with other nations, potentially even China, to set shared “rules of the road.”
In the near term, NASA’s priority must remain establishing safe, functional infrastructure. Astronauts need reliable habitats, power, transportation, and life support before large-scale commercial operations can begin. Entrepreneurs, however, can and should begin refining their business models now in partnership with NASA. The agency does not need to pick winners or place bets on specific companies, but it should actively signal commercial opportunities and remain open to proposals that meet both government needs and broader market demands.
Without this economic focus, there is a real risk that the lunar program will produce only a new generation of contractors dependent on NASA funding, rather than innovators building toward profitability and growth. When communicating with the public, NASA should emphasize not just the excitement of returning to the Moon, but the practical economic benefits of harvesting lunar resources and creating new markets in space.
The ultimate goal should not be simply to plant a base on the Moon. It should be to lay the foundation for a sustainable, expanding lunar economy that can eventually operate with decreasing government support and deliver lasting value to humanity.
Steve Wolfe is president and co-founder of the Beyond Earth Institute. Courtney Stadd is the executive vice president of the Beyond Earth Institute.
This opinion piece reflects the views of the authors and does not necessarily represent SpaceNews or its affiliates. SpaceNews welcomes diverse perspectives from the space community. Submissions may be sent to opinion@spacenews.com.
