NASA Chief Announces Timeline for Building a Human Settlement on the Moon

WASHINGTON:NASA Administrator **Sean Duffy** has announced that the agency aims to establish a **permanent human settlement — a “village” — on the Moon** within the next decade.

Speaking at the **International Astronautical Congress** on Monday, Duffy said the project would not be a temporary outpost but a **full-fledged lunar village powered by nuclear energy**.

The event was attended by space agency heads from the **United States, China, Japan, India, Europe, and Canada**. Duffy highlighted NASA’s recent “Request for Information” seeking private sector support to build a **nuclear reactor on the Moon** to sustain the future lunar community.

He also predicted that within the same timeframe, **NASA would make significant progress toward its Mars mission**, bringing humanity closer to setting foot on the Red Planet.

This year’s Congress was themed **“Sustainable Space, Sustainable Earth.”** Addressing the theme, Duffy stressed that while other U.S. agencies focus on Earth’s stability and sustainability, **NASA’s core mission is space exploration and enabling human life beyond Earth**.