NASA Scraps Lunar Gateway, Bets $20 Billion on Permanent Moon Base; China Aims for 2030

• NASA shifts lunar strategy, investing $20 billion in a permanent Moon base instead of an orbital space station.
• The overhaul, led by Jared Isaacman, reshapes the Artemis program to accelerate US return to the Moon ahead of China's 2030 goal.
• Plans include robotic landers, drone fleets, and nuclear power groundwork on the lunar surface.
• NASA is also developing a nuclear-powered spacecraft, Space Reactor 1 Freedom, for a Mars mission before 2028.
• The decision pauses the Lunar Gateway project, raising questions for international partners, but existing hardware may be repurposed.