NASA announces three new Moon missions as agency races to build permanent lunar base by end of 2026

NASA announced three new Moon missions Tuesday as part of an ambitious push to establish a permanent American presence on the lunar surface, with all three missions targeted for launch by the end of 2026.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said during a news conference that the agency is moving quickly toward what officials are calling "Moon Base," a long-term lunar outpost designed to support sustained astronaut missions and future exploration of Mars.

"America is returning to the moon," Isaacman said, "and this time to stay."

The missions are intended to help NASA test commercial landers, autonomous vehicles and lunar surface operations before astronauts begin spending longer periods on...