NASA 'Ignition' Event: Lunar Gateway Cancelled, $20B Permanent Moon Base Announced

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman hosted the 'Ignition' event, formally cancelling the Lunar Gateway space station 'in its current form' and announcing a $20 billion, 7-year plan to build a permanent lunar surface base instead. The plan envisions 76 landings delivering over 200 metric tons of hardware — habitats, nuclear power systems, rovers, drones, and in-situ resource utilization equipment — with sustained human surface presence after 2032. International partners ESA, JAXA, and CSA were reportedly surprised; ESA said it is 'consulting closely with Member States.' Isaacman cited urgency vs. China: 'The difference between success and failure will be measured in months, not years.' NASA declared it is 'confident it has the funds' for the new program.