A Super Heavy booster descending on its engines into the tower's chopstick arms at sunset during Starship's fifth flight test, the first booster catch.The calligraphy-clad torus of Dubai's Museum of the Future at night, with car light trails on Sheikh Zayed Road below.Massed humanoid robots in formation in the arena at the second World Humanoid Robot Games.Chongqing's illuminated skyline at night seen across the Jialing River, with the Qiansimen Bridge, Hongya Cave and the WFC tower.The full Starship stack on the launch mount beside its tower at night, lit by floodlights and a searchlight beam.A UBTECH humanoid robot swapping its own batteries at a factory.

Every piece of TAPROOT already exists somewhere in 2026.

What does not exist yet is one place that puts them together. Here is each system photographed today, what is funded to arrive by 2029, and the road to the 2075 base.

Operating, 2024. A Super Heavy booster descending on its engines into the tower's chopstick arms at sunset during Starship's fifth flight test, the first booster catch.

The future, already photographed.

None of this is a render of 2075. It is robots, cities and machines working today, and the projects already under construction for the next three years.

Robots at work

Humanoids on factory lines, robots that run, box and deliver, and aircraft and boats with no one aboard.

Massed humanoid robots in formation in the arena at the second World Humanoid Robot Games.
Operating, 2026Massed humanoid robots in formation in the arena at the second World Humanoid Robot Games.
A UBTECH humanoid robot swapping its own batteries at a factory.
Operating, 2026A UBTECH humanoid robot swapping its own batteries at a factory.
Figure 03 humanoid robots handling objects, from Figure AI's Figure 03 product page.
Built and in test, 2025Figure 03 humanoid robots handling objects, from Figure AI's Figure 03 product page.
Humanoid robots contesting a football match at the second World Humanoid Robot Games.
Operating, 2026Humanoid robots contesting a football match at the second World Humanoid Robot Games.
Two Unitree humanoid robots square off in a kickboxing display at the opening ceremony of the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.
Operating, 2025Two Unitree humanoid robots square off in a kickboxing display at the opening ceremony of the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing.
Electric Atlas humanoids working around a car body inside Boston Dynamics' Robotics Metaplant Application Center, the Atlas training center opened at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America.
Built and in test, 2026Electric Atlas humanoids working around a car body inside Boston Dynamics' Robotics Metaplant Application Center, the Atlas training center opened at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America.
An EHang EH216-S pilotless passenger eVTOL on a test flight beside a Ferris wheel in Shenzhen.
Operating, 2025An EHang EH216-S pilotless passenger eVTOL on a test flight beside a Ferris wheel in Shenzhen.
The flying module of Xpeng Aero's 'Land Aircraft Carrier' flying car during its first public flight demonstration in Dubai.
Built and in test, 2025The flying module of Xpeng Aero's 'Land Aircraft Carrier' flying car during its first public flight demonstration in Dubai.
An Honor 'Lightning' humanoid robot running at the 2026 Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, where an autonomous Lightning won in 50:26, faster than the human world record.
Operating, 2026An Honor 'Lightning' humanoid robot running at the 2026 Beijing E-Town Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, where an autonomous Lightning won in 50:26, faster than the human world record.
A 1X NEO home humanoid standing in a home while a woman sews, from 1X's NEO product page.
Built and in test, 2026A 1X NEO home humanoid standing in a home while a woman sews, from 1X's NEO product page.
A Joby electric air taxi in flight over the Tampa Bay area during Joby's Florida flight campaign, which began with a crossing from St. Petersburg to Tampa International Airport.
Built and in test, 2026A Joby electric air taxi in flight over the Tampa Bay area during Joby's Florida flight campaign, which began with a crossing from St. Petersburg to Tampa International Airport.
A 2-tonne-class AutoFlight eVTOL carries a red life raft over the Yangtze River during an emergency rescue drill in Wuhan.
Built and in test, 2025A 2-tonne-class AutoFlight eVTOL carries a red life raft over the Yangtze River during an emergency rescue drill in Wuhan.
A Tesla Cybercab drives down Harrison Street in San Francisco.
Built and in test, 2026A Tesla Cybercab drives down Harrison Street in San Francisco.
A Baidu Apollo Go RT6 robotaxi on Heping Avenue in Wuhan.
Operating, 2025A Baidu Apollo Go RT6 robotaxi on Heping Avenue in Wuhan.
A Waymo Jaguar I-Pace autonomous taxi on the Embarcadero in San Francisco.
Operating, 2026A Waymo Jaguar I-Pace autonomous taxi on the Embarcadero in San Francisco.

Cities that look like tomorrow

Whole districts built in a generation, lit, wired and run by software.

The calligraphy-clad torus of Dubai's Museum of the Future at night, with car light trails on Sheikh Zayed Road below.
Operating, 2022The calligraphy-clad torus of Dubai's Museum of the Future at night, with car light trails on Sheikh Zayed Road below.
Chongqing's illuminated skyline at night seen across the Jialing River, with the Qiansimen Bridge, Hongya Cave and the WFC tower.
Operating, 2025Chongqing's illuminated skyline at night seen across the Jialing River, with the Qiansimen Bridge, Hongya Cave and the WFC tower.
The Lujiazui financial district at night seen from the Bund, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower lit above the Huangpu River.
Operating, 2025The Lujiazui financial district at night seen from the Bund, with the Oriental Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower lit above the Huangpu River.
The Futian CBD skyline, including the Ping An Finance Centre, reflected in the water-covered floor of Shenzhen Civic Center.
Operating, 2025The Futian CBD skyline, including the Ping An Finance Centre, reflected in the water-covered floor of Shenzhen Civic Center.
The Rain Vortex indoor waterfall falling through the glass dome of Jewel Changi Airport, lit blue at night and ringed by indoor forest.
Operating, 2019The Rain Vortex indoor waterfall falling through the glass dome of Jewel Changi Airport, lit blue at night and ringed by indoor forest.
The illuminated Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay at night.
Operating, 2012The illuminated Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay at night.
Toyota Woven City's first-phase buildings lit at dusk at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Operating, 2025Toyota Woven City's first-phase buildings lit at dusk at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Leaving Earth, routinely

Rockets caught by their launch towers, private stations and landers on the Moon.

A Super Heavy booster descending on its engines into the tower's chopstick arms at sunset during Starship's fifth flight test, the first booster catch.
Operating, 2024A Super Heavy booster descending on its engines into the tower's chopstick arms at sunset during Starship's fifth flight test, the first booster catch.
A Super Heavy booster with engines still burning settling into the launch tower's chopstick arms on Starship's eighth flight test.
Operating, 2025A Super Heavy booster with engines still burning settling into the launch tower's chopstick arms on Starship's eighth flight test.
A Super Heavy booster firing its engines as it descends past the launch tower, seen from the tower itself, on Starship's eighth flight test.
Operating, 2025A Super Heavy booster firing its engines as it descends past the launch tower, seen from the tower itself, on Starship's eighth flight test.
The full Starship stack on the launch mount beside its tower at night, lit by floodlights and a searchlight beam.
Operating, 2025The full Starship stack on the launch mount beside its tower at night, lit by floodlights and a searchlight beam.
Starship climbing on its exhaust plume above the Starbase coastline and lagoons on its eleventh flight test.
Operating, 2025Starship climbing on its exhaust plume above the Starbase coastline and lagoons on its eleventh flight test.
New Glenn's first stage standing on the landing ship Jacklyn in the Atlantic after its first successful landing on 13 November 2025.
Operating, 2025New Glenn's first stage standing on the landing ship Jacklyn in the Atlantic after its first successful landing on 13 November 2025.
Blue Origin's New Glenn lifting off from Launch Complex 36 carrying NASA's twin ESCAPADE Mars spacecraft on 13 November 2025.
Operating, 2025Blue Origin's New Glenn lifting off from Launch Complex 36 carrying NASA's twin ESCAPADE Mars spacecraft on 13 November 2025.
Rows of stainless-steel Starship nose cones in production inside SpaceX's Starfactory.
Operating, 2026Rows of stainless-steel Starship nose cones in production inside SpaceX's Starfactory.
Firefly's Blue Ghost lander casting its shadow on the lunar surface with Earth above the horizon.
Operating, 2025Firefly's Blue Ghost lander casting its shadow on the lunar surface with Earth above the horizon.
China's completed T-shaped Tiangong space station photographed by the departing Shenzhou-16 crew, with Earth below.
Operating, 2023China's completed T-shaped Tiangong space station photographed by the departing Shenzhou-16 crew, with Earth below.
NASA artist's concept of SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System standing on the lunar surface with Earth on the horizon.
Official render, 2024NASA artist's concept of SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System standing on the lunar surface with Earth on the horizon.
Blue Ghost's gold-foil top deck and antenna at lunar sunset, with Earth on the horizon.
Operating, 2025Blue Ghost's gold-foil top deck and antenna at lunar sunset, with Earth on the horizon.
The Haven-1 commercial space station module in integration inside Vast's cleanroom.
Under construction, 2026The Haven-1 commercial space station module in integration inside Vast's cleanroom.Next. Vast says Haven-1 is targeted to launch in 2027 on a SpaceX Falcon 9, with crews flown on Dragon.

Being built for 2027 to 2029

The megaprojects, fusion plants and AI campuses already under construction, and what each is due to deliver.

Helion's Polaris fusion prototype glowing magenta inside its machine during operation.
Built and in test, 2026Helion's Polaris fusion prototype glowing magenta inside its machine during operation.
A technician working on a component of the SPARC tokamak inside its assembly hall at Commonwealth Fusion Systems.
Under construction, 2025A technician working on a component of the SPARC tokamak inside its assembly hall at Commonwealth Fusion Systems.Next. CFS says SPARC will produce more energy from fusion than it needs to run (Q>1) in 2027.
Official NEOM render of The Line's mirrored facade running through desert mountains.
Official render, 2025Official NEOM render of The Line's mirrored facade running through desert mountains.
Aerial view of Microsoft's two-storey Fairwater AI datacenter in Atlanta, which began operation in October 2025.
Operating, 2025Aerial view of Microsoft's two-storey Fairwater AI datacenter in Atlanta, which began operation in October 2025.
A row of GPU racks with fibre networking inside the Atlanta Fairwater AI datacenter.
Operating, 2025A row of GPU racks with fibre networking inside the Atlanta Fairwater AI datacenter.
Aerial view of the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company production facility under construction on the Red Sea coast at Oxagon, with its jetty reaching into the sea.
Under construction, 2025Aerial view of the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company production facility under construction on the Red Sea coast at Oxagon, with its jetty reaching into the sea.Next. Zawya reports the project is on schedule for first ammonia production in 2027.
Aerial view of the Orion fusion power plant site in Malaga, Washington, with the foundation of the fusion generator building laid out beside a completed hall.
Under construction, 2026Aerial view of the Orion fusion power plant site in Malaga, Washington, with the foundation of the fusion generator building laid out beside a completed hall.Next. Helion says Orion is designed to begin initial operations in 2028 to supply Microsoft under the first fusion power purchase agreement.
A cargo ship loaded with wind-turbine blades berthed at the Port of NEOM in Oxagon.
Operating, 2025A cargo ship loaded with wind-turbine blades berthed at the Port of NEOM in Oxagon.
Official render of the three-storey DXB vertiport at Dubai International Airport with a Joby electric air taxi overhead.
Official render, 2024Official render of the three-storey DXB vertiport at Dubai International Airport with a Joby electric air taxi overhead.

The world is already building it.

This is the present, somewhere else. China and the Gulf are building their visions of the future now, at scale. The United States has every piece, but not yet in one place.

China

Builds at a pace the US has not matched in fifty years.

A 2025 report counted more than 650 hardened aircraft shelters at Chinese bases within reach of the Taiwan Strait, while the US had added two in that area since the early 2010s.

A GJ-21 carrier-based uncrewed combat aircraft paraded through Beijing at the September 2025 Victory Day parade.
Built and in test, 2025 A GJ-21 carrier-based uncrewed combat aircraft paraded through Beijing at the September 2025 Victory Day parade.
Uncrewed helicopters carried in the PLA's 2025 Victory Day parade through Beijing.
Built and in test, 2025 Uncrewed helicopters carried in the PLA's 2025 Victory Day parade through Beijing.
Yangshan Deep-Water Port, whose Phase IV terminal is the world's largest fully automated container terminal.
Operating, 2017 Yangshan Deep-Water Port, whose Phase IV terminal is the world's largest fully automated container terminal.
A street-side drone food-delivery landing station in Shenzhen's Longhua district, part of the city's routine low-altitude delivery network.
Operating, 2025 A street-side drone food-delivery landing station in Shenzhen's Longhua district, part of the city's routine low-altitude delivery network.
A Meituan driverless delivery vehicle working city streets in China.
Operating, 2021 A Meituan driverless delivery vehicle working city streets in China.
An aerial view of the reactor islands at Tianwan nuclear power station, one of China's largest nuclear sites with more units being built.
Operating, 2024 An aerial view of the reactor islands at Tianwan nuclear power station, one of China's largest nuclear sites with more units being built.

The Gulf

Is building its vision of the future from the desert up, with sovereign power and AI.

The UAE runs the Arab world’s first nuclear plant, four reactors on the desert coast at Barakah, and driverless robotaxis carry paying passengers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The four reactors of the Barakah nuclear power plant on the UAE desert coast, the Arab world's first nuclear plant.
Operating, 2017 The four reactors of the Barakah nuclear power plant on the UAE desert coast, the Arab world's first nuclear plant.
A WeRide GXR driverless robotaxi, the vehicle running commercial autonomous rides in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Operating, 2024 A WeRide GXR driverless robotaxi, the vehicle running commercial autonomous rides in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Masdar City, Abu Dhabi's planned low-carbon district built in the desert.
Operating, 2022 Masdar City, Abu Dhabi's planned low-carbon district built in the desert.

The United States

Has every piece, at world-class scale, but not yet in one place.

Reusable heavy launch, leading-edge chip fabs, giga-scale factories and AI compute campuses are all American and all operating. TAPROOT is the argument for putting them to work in one sovereign installation.

SpaceX Starbase on the Texas Gulf coast, where Starship is built and launched.
Operating, 2023 SpaceX Starbase on the Texas Gulf coast, where Starship is built and launched.
TSMC's Fab 21 chip plant rising in the Arizona desert.
Under construction, 2023 TSMC's Fab 21 chip plant rising in the Arizona desert.
Tesla's Gigafactory Texas, one of the largest factory buildings in the world.
Operating, 2022 Tesla's Gigafactory Texas, one of the largest factory buildings in the world.
Google's hyperscale data-centre campus outside Pryor, Oklahoma.
Operating, 2019 Google's hyperscale data-centre campus outside Pryor, Oklahoma.

Every system, already real.

The same systems as the vision, in the same order. Each one is photographed and dated, labelled operating, in test or under construction, with its next funded step where one is dated.

Power

Small reactors, fusion machines and wireless power are hardware now, not slides.

Next, to 2029. The Army’s Janus programme targets its first groundbreaking in 2027 and its first microreactor in useful service on an installation by September 2028. Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ SPARC aims for first plasma in 2027.

See power in 2075
Aerial view of Kairos Power's Hermes reactor site at Oak Ridge, where the Hermes demonstration reactor is under construction and Hermes 2 broke ground in April 2026.
Under construction, 2026 Aerial view of Kairos Power's Hermes reactor site at Oak Ridge, where the Hermes demonstration reactor is under construction and Hermes 2 broke ground in April 2026.
US nuclear regulators touring Helion's fusion machine facility in Washington State, the company building the Polaris device and a plant contracted to supply Microsoft.
Built and in test, 2023 US nuclear regulators touring Helion's fusion machine facility in Washington State, the company building the Polaris device and a plant contracted to supply Microsoft.
A full-scale mockup of the upper third of a NuScale small modular reactor module, the first SMR design certified by the US NRC.
Built and in test, 2020 A full-scale mockup of the upper third of a NuScale small modular reactor module, the first SMR design certified by the US NRC.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory's 270-kilowatt wireless power transfer rig, power crossing an air gap with no cable.
Built and in test, 2024 Oak Ridge National Laboratory's 270-kilowatt wireless power transfer rig, power crossing an air gap with no cable.

Water

Units already make their own drinking water from the air and the sea.

Next, to 2029. Since 2017 the Army has required critical missions to hold at least 14 days of energy and water; atmospheric water generators like these are how a base meets that without a pipeline.

See water in 2075
An Air Force civil engineer using an atmospheric water generator that makes up to 132 gallons of drinking water a day from air, for off-grid sites.
Built and in test, 2025 An Air Force civil engineer using an atmospheric water generator that makes up to 132 gallons of drinking water a day from air, for off-grid sites.
Marines running an Atmospheric Portable-water Sustainment Unit beside a lightweight purifier, pulling drinking water from humid air and seawater.
Operating, 2022 Marines running an Atmospheric Portable-water Sustainment Unit beside a lightweight purifier, pulling drinking water from humid air and seawater.
A US Navy machinist's mate aligning the reverse-osmosis desalination plant that makes fresh water aboard the destroyer USS Ross.
Operating, 2016 A US Navy machinist's mate aligning the reverse-osmosis desalination plant that makes fresh water aboard the destroyer USS Ross.
Rows of reverse-osmosis pressure vessels inside the El Prat seawater desalination plant, which supplies Barcelona.
Operating, 2010 Rows of reverse-osmosis pressure vessels inside the El Prat seawater desalination plant, which supplies Barcelona.

Air

People have breathed made air, in a sealed habitat, continuously for a quarter of a century.

Next, to 2029. The space station’s oxygen generation and carbon-dioxide removal racks are the working model for a sealed mountain: the same chemistry, at the scale of a cavern.

See air in 2075
An astronaut working in the Tranquility module, which houses the station's oxygen generation, CO2 removal and water recovery racks.
Operating, 2018 An astronaut working in the Tranquility module, which houses the station's oxygen generation, CO2 removal and water recovery racks.
A cosmonaut servicing life-support equipment in the station's Zvezda module, where the Elektron oxygen generator runs.
Operating, 2004 A cosmonaut servicing life-support equipment in the station's Zvezda module, where the Elektron oxygen generator runs.

Food

Food is grown under lights, farmed in recirculating water and made from air and electricity.

Next, to 2029. Solar Foods began commercial-scale production of Solein, a protein made from air and electricity, in Finland in 2024; its next plant would raise capacity from 160 to 6,400 tons a year.

See food in 2075
Inside Solar Foods' Factory 01, where Solein protein is grown from microbes fed on air, hydrogen and electricity instead of farmland.
Operating, 2024 Inside Solar Foods' Factory 01, where Solein protein is grown from microbes fed on air, hydrogen and electricity instead of farmland.
Stacked hydroponic racks of greens under LED light in a commercial indoor vertical farm.
Operating, 2020 Stacked hydroponic racks of greens under LED light in a commercial indoor vertical farm.
Fish tanks in a recirculating aquaculture system, which filters and reuses the same water instead of drawing from the sea.
Operating, 2016 Fish tanks in a recirculating aquaculture system, which filters and reuses the same water instead of drawing from the sea.
Red romaine lettuce growing under LEDs in a sealed plant chamber aboard the space station.
Operating, 2024 Red romaine lettuce growing under LEDs in a sealed plant chamber aboard the space station.
A robotic barista arm making drinks for travellers at Singapore Changi Airport.
Operating, 2024 A robotic barista arm making drinks for travellers at Singapore Changi Airport.

Return

Waste already comes back as water, power and heat.

Next, to 2029. On the space station, NASA’s Brine Processor Assembly lifted total water recovery to 98 percent, up from 93 to 94 percent.

See return in 2075
The water recovery system aboard the International Space Station, which turns crew urine and humidity back into drinking water.
Operating, 2021 The water recovery system aboard the International Space Station, which turns crew urine and humidity back into drinking water.
Astronauts toasting with the first drinking water recycled from urine by the station's water recovery system.
Operating, 2009 Astronauts toasting with the first drinking water recycled from urine by the station's water recovery system.
Copenhill (Amager Bakke), Copenhagen's waste-to-energy plant that turns the city's rubbish into power and district heat, with a ski slope on its roof.
Operating, 2019 Copenhill (Amager Bakke), Copenhagen's waste-to-energy plant that turns the city's rubbish into power and district heat, with a ski slope on its roof.
The Reppie waste-to-energy plant in Addis Ababa, built on the city's landfill to turn rubbish into electricity.
Operating, 2018 The Reppie waste-to-energy plant in Addis Ababa, built on the city's landfill to turn rubbish into electricity.

Making

The Army is printing its own buildings, and robots already run whole production lines.

Next, to 2029. Fort Bliss is printing ten new barracks after its first three. Hyundai has named 2028 as a target for humanoid robots in parts of its manufacturing.

See making in 2075
Several ICON construction-scale 3D printers working at once on the Army's ten new printed barracks at Fort Bliss.
Under construction, 2026 Several ICON construction-scale 3D printers working at once on the Army's ten new printed barracks at Fort Bliss.
Army leaders cutting the ribbon on the first of ten new 3D-printed barracks at Fort Bliss, which will house 560 soldiers.
Operating, 2026 Army leaders cutting the ribbon on the first of ten new 3D-printed barracks at Fort Bliss, which will house 560 soldiers.
An AgiBot X2 humanoid robot, from the Shanghai company mass-producing humanoids, shown at MWC 2026.
Operating, 2026 An AgiBot X2 humanoid robot, from the Shanghai company mass-producing humanoids, shown at MWC 2026.
KUKA industrial robots spot-welding car bodies on BMW's highly automated body line in Leipzig.
Operating, 2005 KUKA industrial robots spot-welding car bodies on BMW's highly automated body line in Leipzig.

Care

Surgeons already operate through robots, including in military hospitals.

Next, to 2029. A care bay that can treat people with no hospital outside starts from systems like these, already in routine use.

See care in 2075
A Navy urologist at the surgeon's console operating with a robotic surgical system at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
Operating, 2020 A Navy urologist at the surgeon's console operating with a robotic surgical system at Naval Medical Center San Diego.
A da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system installed in a hospital operating room.
Operating, 2019 A da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system installed in a hospital operating room.

Body and mind

The Army already trains the whole person: strength, sleep, nutrition and mind.

Next, to 2029. Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) puts strength coaches, dietitians and cognitive specialists inside units; the training floor and the float in 2075 are where that leads.

See body and mind in 2075
Eighth Army leaders doing physical readiness training in an H2F performance facility.
Operating, 2026 Eighth Army leaders doing physical readiness training in an H2F performance facility.
An Army Holistic Health and Fitness Academy instructor coaching leaders through power training at Panzer Kaserne.
Operating, 2025 An Army Holistic Health and Fitness Academy instructor coaching leaders through power training at Panzer Kaserne.

Intelligence

A command centre inside a granite mountain, on steel springs, has been operating since the 1960s.

Next, to 2029. IBM has set out a path to the first large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029. Cheyenne Mountain keeps fifteen buildings on 1,319 steel springs, so a blast or a tremor passes under the racks.

See intelligence in 2075
The giant steel springs that let the buildings inside Cheyenne Mountain ride out a nuclear blast, photographed during construction.
Operating, 1963 The giant steel springs that let the buildings inside Cheyenne Mountain ride out a nuclear blast, photographed during construction.
The 25-ton steel blast door of Cheyenne Mountain Complex closing inside the granite tunnel.
Operating, 2012 The 25-ton steel blast door of Cheyenne Mountain Complex closing inside the granite tunnel.
Tunnels cut through the granite of Cheyenne Mountain, the inside-the-mountain command centre TAPROOT scales up.
Operating, 1965 Tunnels cut through the granite of Cheyenne Mountain, the inside-the-mountain command centre TAPROOT scales up.
Rows of liquid-cooled cabinets of Frontier, the first exascale supercomputer, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Operating, 2022 Rows of liquid-cooled cabinets of Frontier, the first exascale supercomputer, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Defended

Laser weapons are fielded, uncrewed combat aircraft fly, and robots patrol base perimeters.

Next, to 2029. Israel’s 100 kW Iron Beam laser went operational in December 2025. The operational Ghost Bat is due in Australian service by 2028, the Army has planned robotic combat vehicles in units by 2028, and the Navy plans to buy two Orca extra-large uncrewed submarines in fiscal 2027.

See defended in 2075
USS Preble firing its HELIOS high-energy laser at sea, the first laser weapon installed on a US destroyer.
Operating, 2024 USS Preble firing its HELIOS high-energy laser at sea, the first laser weapon installed on a US destroyer.
The Iron Beam (Magen Or) high-energy laser interceptor, which Israel declared operational in 2025 against rockets and drones.
Operating, 2024 The Iron Beam (Magen Or) high-energy laser interceptor, which Israel declared operational in 2025 against rockets and drones.
A General Atomics YFQ-42A Dark Merlin collaborative combat aircraft landing at Creech Air Force Base.
Built and in test, 2026 A General Atomics YFQ-42A Dark Merlin collaborative combat aircraft landing at Creech Air Force Base.
Anduril's YFQ-44A Fury collaborative combat aircraft during ground testing.
Built and in test, 2025 Anduril's YFQ-44A Fury collaborative combat aircraft during ground testing.
A Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed wingman on display at the Avalon Airshow.
Built and in test, 2023 A Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed wingman on display at the Avalon Airshow.
A Ghost Robotics Vision 60 quadruped robot demonstrated for base security patrol, the same model that patrols the perimeter at Tyndall AFB.
Operating, 2022 A Ghost Robotics Vision 60 quadruped robot demonstrated for base security patrol, the same model that patrols the perimeter at Tyndall AFB.
The US Navy's Boeing Orca extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicle, a submarine with no crew, at Boeing's facility.
Built and in test, 2024 The US Navy's Boeing Orca extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicle, a submarine with no crew, at Boeing's facility.
A wind-powered Saildrone uncrewed surface vessel at sea, the type the US Navy uses for persistent maritime watch.
Operating, 2019 A wind-powered Saildrone uncrewed surface vessel at sea, the type the US Navy uses for persistent maritime watch.
US Army soldiers using a Starshield satellite terminal for connectivity at a field command post.
Operating, 2025 US Army soldiers using a Starshield satellite terminal for connectivity at a field command post.

The network and the Moon

The ride to the Moon is flying again, and the reactor to power a base there is being built.

Next, to 2029. NASA, the Department of Energy and Idaho National Laboratory are developing a lunar fission reactor of at least 100 kilowatts, due ready to launch by early fiscal 2030.

See the network and the moon in 2075
NASA's SLS rocket launching Artemis II, the first crewed flight to the Moon since 1972, in April 2026.
Operating, 2026 NASA's SLS rocket launching Artemis II, the first crewed flight to the Moon since 1972, in April 2026.
Earth setting behind the Moon, photographed by the Artemis II crew from their Orion spacecraft.
Operating, 2026 Earth setting behind the Moon, photographed by the Artemis II crew from their Orion spacecraft.
SpaceX's Starship igniting its 33 Raptor engines at launch on its fifth integrated flight test, the flight whose booster was caught by the tower.
Built and in test, 2024 SpaceX's Starship igniting its 33 Raptor engines at launch on its fifth integrated flight test, the flight whose booster was caught by the tower.
NASA's Fission Surface Power test hardware at Glenn Research Center, developing a reactor to power a Moon base.
Built and in test, 2024 NASA's Fission Surface Power test hardware at Glenn Research Center, developing a reactor to power a Moon base.

The road from six months to fifty years.

What billions can start now is the foundation. What follows is the same pieces, compounding.

  1. 2026 to 2029

    Foundation

    An islanded microgrid with a microreactor and collector fields; water independence from air, sea and reuse; printed structures; a layered counter-drone defence; an AI operations floor on sovereign compute.

    Already real: Janus and Pele, Fort Bliss, Iron Beam and HELIOS, atmospheric water generators, AI compute campuses.

  2. 2030 to 2045

    Into the rock

    Robotic excavation of caverns; vertical farms and protein made on site; closed-loop waste; on-site manufacturing and medicine; autonomous logistics; uncrewed air and sea.

    Already real: Cheyenne Mountain, Solein, ISS water recovery, robotic production lines, CCA, Orca.

  3. 2045 to 2075

    One organism

    Compact fusion and beamed power; AI running every loop; the template copied as a network, then for towns and cities, then off-world.

    Already real: SPARC and Helion, wireless power transfer, proliferated satellites, Artemis and lunar fission.

Why 2075 looks the way it does.

The pictures on the vision page are not invented from nothing. They are the systems on this page, after fifty years of AI compounding how things are designed, made and built.

The change from 2026 to 2075 will be larger than the change from 1976 to 2026. That is the reason the frames look further ahead than anything here, and the reason every one of them still has an ancestor on this page.

Earth setting behind the Moon, photographed by the Artemis II crew from their Orion spacecraft.
Operating, 2026 Earth setting behind the Moon, photographed by the Artemis II crew from their Orion spacecraft.

The questions a funder will ask.

Is any of this actually possible?
Every system on this page is photographed and dated. Some is operating, some is built and in test, and some is under construction. The 2075 base is these pieces assembled and improved, not new physics.
What can billions and six months start?
The foundation: an islanded microgrid and microreactor site, water independence from air and sea, printed structures on the Fort Bliss model, a layered counter-drone defence with lasers and microwave weapons already fielded, and an AI operations floor on sovereign compute. Each of these has a programme running today.
Why build into the rock?
Because it already works. Cheyenne Mountain has run a command centre inside granite on steel springs since the 1960s, behind a 25-ton blast door. What it cannot do is power, water and feed itself for long. TAPROOT is that mountain with every loop closed.
Why now?
Because others are already building at speed: a 2025 report counted more than 650 hardened aircraft shelters at Chinese bases within reach of the Taiwan Strait, against two added by the US in that area since the early 2010s. The Gulf is building sovereign power and AI from the desert up.
Why do the 2075 pictures look so far ahead?
Because fifty years of AI-driven design and manufacturing will change how things look more than the last fifty years did. The pictures show where these pieces lead; this page shows where they stand today.

The pieces exist. TAPROOT puts them in one place.

See the 2075 visionWatch the film