While NASA is targeting Mars and Phobos with an inhabited flight to the red planet by 2030, ESA wants to build a base on the Moon, which would be called the Village.
ESA scientists plan to install a telescope on the far side of the moon. Facilities to launch mining exploration of the moon. Buildings to welcome tourists. A launch pad for more distant missions (Mars and beyond). A space supplier. The manufacture of a fuel for spaceships thanks to the water buried (in the form of ice) under the ground and thus dispense with the propellant. We could then save 10 billion dollars for missions to Mars each year, with less heavy ships to launch.
To build the village, one would use the 3D printing and the raw material present on the Moon.
A round trip to the moon takes a week, compared to two years for March.
Russia and China could participate.
Note: Commissions may be earned from the links above.
This page contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our advertising policy, please visit this page.