NASA Plans Up to 21 Moon Landings in 2½ Years, Emphasizes Low‑Cost Access

*TL;DR: NASA aims for up to 21 Moon landings in the next 2.5 years, and Blue Origin urges frequent, low‑cost payload deliveries as the priority for early lunar outposts.

NASA announced a schedule of as many as 21 robotic landings before the end of 2028. The timeline compresses more than a decade of planning into a 30‑month window, demanding faster procurement and tighter supply‑chain oversight.

The target hinges on the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which began in 2019 to enlist private firms for cargo and scouting missions. Since its inception, NASA has signed contracts for 13 CLPS missions. Four have launched, but only one achieved a fully successful touchdown. Four additional landers are under construction and slated for launch in the second half of this year, though historic delays could push some to 2027.

Jacki Cortese, vice president of civil space at Blue Origin, said the early phase of a lunar base must prioritize “frequent high‑mass, low‑cost access to the lunar surface.” Her statement aligns with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman’s March roadmap, which shifts focus from a low‑Earth orbit station to a permanent outpost on the Moon.

Robotic landings will support the Artemis program’s crewed missions by delivering scientific instruments, testing mining technologies, and providing power during the two‑week lunar night. Success depends on fixing the three recent US landing failures that have stalled progress.

To meet the 21‑landing goal, NASA plans to overhaul its acquisition model, moving from single‑contract awards to a competitive, rapid‑turnaround process. The agency also intends to tighten oversight of its industrial partners, ensuring milestones are met and budgets stay within the low‑cost envelope demanded by the new strategy.

If the schedule holds, the next wave of CLPS missions could double the current landing success rate, delivering up to 30 metric tons of payloads to the Moon by 2029. That volume would lay the groundwork for habitat construction, in‑situ resource utilization, and sustained human presence.

What to watch next: monitor the launch dates of the four pending CLPS landers and any revisions to NASA’s procurement rules, which will signal whether the agency can sustain the aggressive landing cadence.