lunar settlement possible by 2030

Project driven by European Space Agency

To those who mock such

projects as science fiction,

Bernard Foing, Ambassador

of the European Space

Agency-driven “Moon Vil-

lage” scheme, says: The goal

is not only reasonable but

feasible too.

By 2030, there could be

an initial lunar settlement of

six to 10 pioneers — scient-

ists, technicians and engin-

eers — which could grow to

100 by 2040, he predicted.

“In 2050, you could have

a thousand and then... natur-

ally you could envisage to

have family joining crews

there,” Mr. Foing said.

Births on Moon

Mere decades from now,

there may be a possibility to

have children born on the

moon, he enthused.

ESA boss Jan Woerner has

mooted replacing the orbit-

ing International Space Sta-

tion (ISS) with a permanent

lunar colony, a futuristic

idea that was high on the

agenda at this week’s expert

meeting in the Latvian cap-

ital. 

Enriched Resources

Experts argue that the future

lies in collaboration between

increasingly cash-strapped

national space agencies and

the private sector, which can

profit from selling resources

such as moon-derived rocket

fuel.

Robotic exploration is

already under way, with sev-

eral moon landers and

rovers planned for the com-

ing years.

“The goal is to join inter-

national efforts and to bridge

earthly borders and crises,”

Mr. Woerner said.