The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced a plan to 3D print a lunar village in the 2020’s. This is planned to be a permanent fixture that will replace the International Space Station (ISS). If all goes to plan then this will be the first permanent settlement for humans in space. The lunar village will be home to astronauts where they will be able to further experiments and space exploration. The benefits of this village would include:
-Establishing telescopes that could look further into the Universe
-Test Mars experiments
-Allow for worldwide partnerships and cooperation
Tons of human missions are being forecasted for the future which makes the moon a priority in terms of furthering exploration. It is ESA’s intention that the Moon will be inhabited for months at a time by astronauts who will be preparing for their mission to Mars. By stopping at the Moon during the mission to Mars, astronauts could collect liquid fuel from the lunar base. This means that the launch from Earth would need 68% less mass if it were collected from the Moon. As part of the training for the mission to Mars, NASA will be sending astronauts to orbit the moon for months to acclimatise themselves to the physical and psychological challenges involved with the mission.
ESA envision that astronauts will be living there by 2030 which coincide with NASA’s capabilities of sending a human to Mars by that time. How long do you think it will be until tourists are visiting the Moon?
Sources:
http://www.worldnewsbyday.com/building-a-moon-town-is-the-latest-big-announcement-by-european-space-agency/
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2016-01/08/europe-space-agency-moon
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/121906/20160107/esa-to-build-3d-printed-moon-village-for-astronauts-by-2030.htm
https://www.nasa.gov/content/nasas-journey-to-mars