Everything on Strategic R&D

Lunar surface operations serve as a critical proving ground for nuclear propulsion, in-situ resource utilization, and sustainable habitation technologies.

Impact: Validating deep-space capabilities in a proximate environment de-risks future Mars transit architectures and establishes long-term technological dominance.

— from Accelerating Lunar Ambitions: NASA's Strategic Pivot to Speed and Scale · a16z Podcast· May 06, 2026