The new leadership of the European Space Agency (ESA) wants to build a permanent base on the moon, where half a century ago the Russians first arrived and Americans took their first steps. It is a “very ambitious” project that is already working the European Astronaut Centre based in the German city of Cologne.
“My intention is to build a permanent base on the moon, a station open to different member states around the world, “says Jan Wörner, director of the ESA, in a statement released today by the Agency.
humanity has never been permanently on our satellite, but Apollo space mission showed in his time “that with enough commitment, it is possible to take a giant step,” says ESA. “We did in the sixties within ten years. So today with a much more developed technology, we are more than ready to get back,” says Andreas Mogensen, ESA astronaut.
the idea is that the lunar base part of the overall project of the International Space Station, where they would be included Americans, Russians, Chinese, Indians, Japanese “and even other countries with lower contributions” adds Jan Wörner .
A workshop with details
earlier this month, the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne organized a workshop on how to build a permanent lunar people. The key message is that humanity can use metals, minerals and ice water available on the moon.
“The Moon is full of resources. We found ice at the lunar poles, and we found exposed areas constantly in the light of day. These places can offer us the resources we need to build and sustain astronauts on the lunar base, “says Bernard Foing, director of the International Group of Lunar Exploration.
main threats to any lunar base are solar and cosmic radiation, micrometeorites and extreme temperatures. But the Irish scientist Aidan Cowley explained at the workshop how you can use the lunar soil itself to build radomes.
“One of the ideas we came up with was that we could use this material in three dimensions to build a structure or habitable lunar module, and we believe it can be done, it is possible. Our concept is that a robot vehicle to land on the surface of the Moon, inflate a kind of inflatable dome as a basis to build the protective layer that protect astronauts inside safely. that is, a layer of dust, then a seal is placed, we will add another layer of powder on top and repeat the same operation until you have built any structure we want, “he continues detailing Cowley.
as it is not easy to go to the moon to implement new ideas, scientists look for places with rocks and similar to this satellite dust, such as volcanic Eifel park near Cologne. “Here we have the equipment and tools we need to measure the composition of rocks. And to assess their actual performance, we use rocks with similar characteristics to lunar and Martian rocks, ie volcanic rocks,” says Bernard Foing.
| “My intention is to build a permanent base on the moon a station open to different members around the world states, “says Jan Wörner, ESA Director |
” in this simulation I am the astronaut. My colleague has guided me to the particular place where she wanted to draw some samples. Then he asked me to return to examine the sample taken in front of this small laboratory, “says Oscar Kamps, geology student at the University of Utrecht.
20 years ahead
experts believe, however, that still need 20 years at least until the technology is ready to make it happen.
“This is a great development cycle that restart has to return to from the rockets that will lead to orbit until ships space carrying astronauts to the moon and help them land. And then, of course, the bases remain there. All this technology block must be put in place, “explains Andreas Mogensen, astronaut, ESA.
China plans a mission to collect samples from the moon. Russia, meanwhile, is developing a module robotic landing with the support of ESA and NASA Orion capsule should be flying around the moon before 2020. This diversity is key, segúne Jan Wörner:
| the Moon is full of resources. we found ice at the lunar poles, and we found exposed areas constantly to light day |
“One of the advantages of our idea of a lunar village is that it requires a large initial funding. That is, we can start with a small landing mission, that many countries are already planning, to a large investment, such as some telescopes, a radio telescope on the far side of the moon. So you will have multiple uses for multiple users, but in one place, “concludes Wörner
taken from. elpais
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