Turning the Moon into the First Human Hub

This year will greatly change the relationship between people and a monthas we begin to lay the foundations for a permanent existence on it, paving the way for our natural satellite to become an industrial center—one that will lead us to Mars and beyond.

Creating a monthly income comes down to three key factors: the ability to get there, ways to increase it on the way back, and profitable businesses that operate on the monthly basis. And, in 2025, technologies in all three sectors will start to look good.

For nearly a decade, the titans of space exploration—Images of SpaceX and Blue Origin-locked in the race to the moon. SpaceX’s latest rocket, the Starship, is essential to this endeavor. Almost twice as long (121 meters vs. 70 meters), and three times as wide (9 meters vs. 3.7 meters) of its predecessor, the Falcon 9, the Starship has its size – but it is also designed to change the way we think about space. walking. Unlike traditional rockets, which are used once and thrown away, the Starship can be reused for multiple flights and refueled during transit. Its increased power means it can deliver up to 100 tons of payload per month in one trip—that’s the same as all the payloads sent to the moon in all of history combined, but in just one trip.

Traditional rockets can launch approx 0.1 percent their weight for the whole month, but the Starship, with its extra fuel capacity, can save about 2 percent. Consider this: If the old rocket was a moving vehicle, it would be like using 18 wheels to deliver one suitcase. With Starship, the cost of each ton of payload is delivered to the surface of the moon, making lunar missions cost-effective.

Next to Blue Origin’s Blue Moon color. Although it may be smaller than a Starship, with a displacement of about 3 metric tons, the Blue Moon was designed to provide heavy equipment and infrastructure, equipment that would transform the moon from an empty space into a thriving industrial center. Together, these vehicles are laying the foundation for a sustainable lunar economy.

In 2025, SpaceX plans to demonstrate the full capabilities of Starship, including its ability to refuel in orbit and reuse it – reducing the cost of lunar missions and making the moon more accessible than ever. This is part of the ongoing orbital test flight, which began in 2023 and will continue until 2024, and will be carried out in 2025.

Meanwhile, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander is scheduled for its first mission in early 2025, marking an important step in laying the groundwork needed for long-term lunar exploration and industry operations.

Another milestone in the race to the moon is planned for late 2025, when Nasa’s Artemis II mission plans to carry crews around the moon, the first time humans have traveled far from Earth since the Apollo missions. This mission is a critical part of NASA’s Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System. It is also the first for Artemis III, which will mark the return of humans to the surface of the moon in 2026.

Supporting the mission of Artemis is the Lunar Gateway, a space station that orbits the moon and serves as a critical point for sending missions to the surface of the moon. In 2025, NASA will make significant progress on Gateway by launching and assembling its first modules, including those that will provide power, propulsion, and space for astronauts. The Gateway will be critical to making lunar exploration possible.

Landing on the moon is the first part of the equation. A sustainable lunar economy depends on the ability to transport people and equipment from the surface to Earth. The only obstacle to getting home is getting fuel on the way back. The company I founded, Starpathis building the first lunar “refueling station,” with a refueling system at the end of the moon that can turn frozen regolith into rocket fuel. The three-stage system includes a group of self-propelled miners that harvest the frozen soil, a fuel system that heats the ice, splits the water into hydrogen and oxygen and then melts the gas, and a large solar array that provides energy. all work. In 2025, we will demonstrate this technology on a large scale, enabling frequent, low-cost travel between the Earth and the moon and beyond.

As these technologies take off, the moon will no longer be a remote, desolate place. It will be the gateway to humanity’s future in space.