NASA has announced a call for proposals to develop the lunar technologies needed to support exploration and establish a long-term human presence at the Moon’s South Pole. The agency is targeting major gaps in power generation, oxygen production, manufacturing and advanced materials as it works towards a future Moon Base. The call forms part of NASA’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-3, or NextSTEP-3, and focuses on technologies that could eventually operate in the harsh lunar environment. NASA wants competing solutions to be matured and demonstrated, helping move critical systems closer to operational use. The result could be a new generation of lunar infrastructure capable of producing power and resources locally while reducing dependence on supplies launched from Earth. NASA says the programme will support US-led capabilities while allowing participation from private companies, universities, non-profit organisations and international partners working through US-led teams. Speaking on the initiative, Greg Stover, director of NASA’s Advanced Research and Technology Division, commented: “NASA is accelerating the development of key technologies and closing critical gaps needed for long-term human exploration …