As a new epoch of space geographic expedition seems to be dawning , and as we plan the geographic expedition of Mars and mystifying space , it ’s only natural to make plans to go back to the Moon and use our natural satellite as the launch pad for our future interplanetary traveling .
However , the European Space Agency ( ESA ) wants to do more than just go back , and has presented its plan to construct a “ Moon Village . ” The habitat would be three-D printed directly on the Moon using lunar dirt and will be assembled by robots .
ESA ’s colony thought was confirmed last calendar month at a two - day conference in the Netherlands . The league , entitled “ Moon 2020 - 2030 - A New Era of Coordinated Human and Robotic Exploration ” , had 200 scientist and experts came together to discuss and plan projects , technologies and deputation for the next decade .
The envisioned lunar structure was designed byFoster + Partners , which is part of the pool mark up by ESA to enquire the possibility of a Moon foundation . The design is to post a cylindrical structure to the Moon , and once landed a exercising weight - hold dome will blow up from this piston chamber . The dome will be the fundamental anatomical structure of the organisation .
The Moon ’s soil will then be used to construct a protective case around the noggin , which will shield the astronauts from the life-threatening ground radiation . In 2013 , the consortiumdemonstratedthat it is possible to habituate lunar regolith to 3-D - photographic print a anatomical structure : Using simulated lunar grease ( made from the basaltic rock music of an Italian vent ) they built a 1.5 tonnes ( 1.65 tons ) block .
speak toSpace.com , one of the group discussion attendees , NASA ’s Kathy Laurini , sound affirmative about the European plans : " The ESA quad - geographic expedition strategy sets the moonlight as a priority destination for humans on the way to Mars , and the recent talk of a ' Moon Village ' certainly has generate a plenty of overconfident vitality in Europe ”
She added : " The timing is right to get started on the capabilities which allow Europe to meet its exploration objectives and ensure Europe stay on a strong married person as humans begin to explore the Solar System . "
The Moon Village would be build around the lunar south magnetic pole , where there is near - unending sunshine on the horizon . potential land site will be explored by a2020 lander missionfrom ESA and the Russian space authority , Roscosmos .
[ H / T : Space.com ]
