Moonfall Drone Mission: NASA to Scout Lunar South Pole by 2028

In a significant expansion of its lunar strategy, NASA has revealed detailed plans for the Moonfall Drone Mission targeting the Moon's south pole region. The program will send autonomous drones and robotic rovers into areas that never receive sunlight, searching for water ice and mapping terrain at centimeter-level precision. Launch is targeted for 2028, with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory responsible for drone development and Firefly Aerospace handling the delivery vehicle. Rather than focusing solely on landing, NASA intends to build a permanent operational framework that supports both scientific discovery and future crewed missions. The drones will navigate deep craters, capture high-resolution imagery, and validate hardware designed for extreme temperatures. This reconnaissance phase is essential for determining where to place future habitats on elevated ridges that receive continuous sunlight. Nuclear power units will be positioned kilometers away for safety. A constellation of satellites will provide continuous communication and navigation support for all lunar activities. NASA executives noted that the eventual lunar base will resemble a sprawling city rather than a compact station. The Moonfall mission will deliver critical data needed to design safe landing sites and resource extraction zones. Officials stressed that this work directly supports long-term goals including crewed Mars missions. The approach reflects a methodical transition from exploration to sustained presence on the lunar surface.