What is the primary goal of Nasa’s new uncrewed lunar missions?

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Nasa’s new uncrewed lunar missions are meant to deliver cargo and scientific instruments to support building a future lunar surface base.

Nasa announced the missions to aid the future creation of a lunar surface base, with three US companies awarded contracts to deliver cargo including scientific instruments to the Moon. The work is tied to plans to use robotic vehicles to build infrastructure that future human explorers could eventually use, with the base planned near the lunar south pole due to water ice in the soil.
Contracts are focused on delivering Moon cargo and scientific instruments
Nasa said three US companies were selected for missions that will deliver cargo, explicitly including scientific instruments, to the Moon. The agency will pay nearly $600 million for these projects, which were described as supplementing other missions announced in May.
The missions support robotic infrastructure building for later human use
Nasa framed the efforts as part of a broader approach that relies on robotic vehicles to construct infrastructure. That infrastructure is intended to be usable by future human explorers, even though the near-term missions are uncrewed.
The lunar base target is near the south pole for water-ice reasons
The lunar surface base is planned for a location near the lunar south pole. Nasa described the region as strategic because water ice is present in the soil there.
The timeline includes construction that could start in 2029
Nasa previously said construction could begin in 2029 as part of the lunar base plan. In its wider vision for the base, Nasa has outlined components such as lunar landers, lunar rovers, and drones for terrain surveying, along with infrastructure such as a power grid and pressurised habitats.

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What is the primary goal of Nasa’s new uncrewed lunar missions?

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