A Future Lunar Architecture, with Alex MacDonald (NASA) & Rob Chambers (Lockheed Martin)

This week on Pathfinder, we’re kicking off a special three-part series on lunar architecture, brought to you by our friends at Lockheed Martin. To kick off the series, we’re exploring the future of lunar architecture more broadly with Rob Chambers, Director of Strategy for Human Space Exploration at Lockheed Martin, and Alex MacDonald, Chief Economist at NASA. 

In this episode, Alex and Rob share their perspectives on the complexities of building sustainable lunar missions and the critical technologies shaping the future. The discussion dives into the integration of international collaboration, public-private partnerships, and groundbreaking innovations that will enable humanity’s return to the Moon and its next steps across the solar system.

We also cover:

• NASA’s Artemis program and the Moon-to-Mars exploration strategy
• The role of international and commercial partnerships in advancing lunar missions
• Foundational infrastructure, including habitats, rovers, and nuclear power systems
• Lessons from Apollo and how they inform today’s approach to sustainable lunar exploration
• The evolving lunar economy and what it might mean for humanity’s future in space

And much, much more...

• Chapters •

00:00 - Intro

01:25 - Rob's and Alex's background

04:22 - NASA's vision for the Moon

09:15 - NASA and Lockheed: their history with the Moon

13:36 - Lessons from previous Lunar missions

16:34 - What has changed to allow partnerships to be more efficient?

25:13 - Challenges working with international agencies

30:35 - Helium-3 mining and other lunar business models

37:14 - Lockheed's Lunar Roadmap

43:05 - Who are the other players in the Artemis program and collaboration?

49:56 - Resiliency and risk

55:13 - End goals for Lunar missions in the next 100 years

01:02:41 - When are we landing on the Moon?

• Show notes •

Lockheed Martin’s website — https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/capabilities/space/human-space-exploration/water-based-lunar-architecture/lockheed-martins-lunar-architecture-novella-white-paper.html

Lockheed Martin Space’ socials — https://twitter.com/LMSpace

Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam

Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace

Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace

Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes

• About us •

Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.

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