The Italian Multi-Purpose Habitation Module (MPH) has successfully completed another review stage by NASA, bringing it closer to the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) scheduled for 2027.
This announcement was made by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), confirming the positive outcome of the System Definition Review (SDR) and the System Requirements Review (SRR), which concluded on May 19th at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.
These reviews assessed the project’s maturity level and the compliance of the module’s system requirements, giving the green light for further development.
The MPH project stems from a collaboration between ASI and NASA initiated in 2022 through a bilateral agreement for the preliminary development of a multipurpose habitation module intended for the lunar surface. The industrial development was awarded to Thales Alenia Space Italia in 2025.
MPH Module’s Role in NASA’s New Lunar Strategy
On March 24, 2026, during the “Ignition” event, new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the suspension of the Lunar Gateway space station development in favor of establishing a stable presence on the lunar surface.
In this context, the Italian habitation modules were identified as a key component of the future US lunar architecture. A few days after this announcement, Italy and NASA signed a Statement of Intent to collaborate on the development of the American lunar base, encompassing habitation modules, communication systems, and scientific activities on the Moon’s surface. The agreement also includes the possibility for Italy to secure at least one seat for an Italian astronaut on a future Artemis mission.
The recent review of the MPH project was conducted in two phases. The first, led by ASI and concluded on April 30th, also involved NASA in evaluating the technical documentation produced by the Italian industrial consortium. The second phase, directly coordinated by NASA, concluded on May 19th with the project’s approval and authorization to proceed towards the Preliminary Design Review.
According to current timelines, the preparation for this review will take approximately twelve months. The first MPH module is expected to be launched in 2033.
