The United States does not have enough information to safely send a manned mission to the moon and begin construction of a permanent base. This was stated by the NASA program manager for the creation of a lunar base, Carlos García-Galán. According to him, despite some knowledge about the southern pole of the satellite, current data is "completely insufficient" to ensure the safety of astronauts and successful deployment of infrastructure.

This makes the preliminary stages of exploration critical: placement of scientific equipment on the surface, study of resources and analysis of extreme conditions. NASA plans to test various landing sites to ensure future landings. Jared Isaecman, the head of the agency, emphasized that landing at the south pole in areas of eternal shade represents an "incredibly difficult task" requiring numerous preparatory unmanned missions.

These statements are accompanied by an official postponement of the manned landing: the Artemis III mission, originally scheduled for 2027, has been postponed to 2028 and is effectively merged with the objectives of Artemis IV. The Lunar Development Roadmap is now as follows: regular unmanned flights in 2027; reliable surface access and experimentation by 2029; then basic infrastructure built; and since 2032 - permanent presence of crews on the satellite.