The base would be built by robots using 3D printing technology. Image Credit: YouTube / ESA
The European Space Agency believes humans will be living on the lunar surface within the next 14 years.
When it comes to next generation space travel, Mars seems to be the destination that most people are talking about. NASA in particular has been keenly pursuing the goal of landing humans on the Red Planet and scientists have long been working on the technologies needed to take us there.
But Mars is not the only target worth striving towards - there is another much closer to home.
We might have already landed astronauts there several decades ago, but the moon still remains the perfect place to set up a base and to learn more about living and working on other worlds.
This week officials at the European Space Agency have revealed plans to further pursue the idea of using robotics and 3D printing to set up a base on the surface of the moon by as early as 2030.
The space agency believes that the construction would take as little as three months to complete and that the resulting base would be capable of housing up to four astronauts.
A video detailing how the construction would be carried out can be viewed below.
So let me get this straight, the world economy is on the brink of total collapse - probably LED by a failure of the EU system - and they are planning multi billion euro projects? The EU has NOTHING to do with ESA and vice versa. Membership of one is totally independent from the other.
well, kinda hard to stay somewhere where you can't breathe or cultivate things... Really? You can't breath or cultivate things in low earth orbit but that hasn't stopped the ISS being permanently crewed for more than 15 years. The trick is to not try and live outside.
I am planning on having intimate relations with Selena Gomez(actress, singer) and she will have my children by 2020. Its nice to be able to dream about what can be in the future lol.
Really? You can't breath or cultivate things in low earth orbit but that hasn't stopped the ISS being permanently crewed for more than 15 years. The trick is to not try and live outside. how many people are there at the same time ? how many people would a moon base have ? the cost and time for backup and equipement would be like 250x higher you also have to built the entire thing. not just built it here and drop it in outerspace
Sounds like an inspiring idea, but alas with the Space programs of the world seeming to be on a diminishing curve and the worlds finances under scrutiny with headlines every time a government official buy too many pencils, I don't think this will ever come to fruition. Sounds like it should be used as a plot-line in a Sci-Fi novel, after all it will remain a fictional proposition I fear.
There are a number of arguments for establishing a presence on he moon to include the development of cislunar space, creating propellants from water at the poles for future exploration, mineral exploration of rare earth elements and the like, and, certainly, providing a rationale for manned space flight and the expansion of humanity.
how many people are there at the same time ? A normal crew is 6, this will soon be increased to 7. Between the landing of one expedition and another this can drop to three, There have been times where there have been nine.how many people would a moon base have ? That depends on how many they design it for. The original post says up to four. How is this relevant? the cost and time for backup and equipement would be like 250x higher Can you provide a source for this figure or is it a number you just made up? you also have to built the entire thing. not just built it here and drop it in outerspac... [More]
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