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The European and American space agencies signed this Tuesday in understanding to “bring Europe to the moon”, with Member States contributing to a lunar orbit outpost and being able to send three astronauts.
The European Space Agency (ESA) will contribute at least two service modules to the Gateway, which is expected to be the first outpost around the Moon, providing electricity, water and oxygen.
Three European astronauts could still travel and work at the Gateway, which will also serve as a laboratory for future trips to Mars.
Under the terms of the signed memorandum, ESA will also build the main habitat for astronauts visiting the Gateway this Tuesday and an observation window similar to the one on the International Space Station.
We are moving towards the moon, not only in terms of equipment and technology, but also with our people. Europe will play a central role in the new era of global space exploration, together with NASA (the US space agency) and our partners, ”said ESA Director General Jan Wörner.
The director of Human Exploration and Robotics at the agency, David Parker, has indicated that the European service module will overtake astronauts who will go to the moon on the new Orion spacecraft.
“Europe will provide crew accommodation, telecommunications, refueling and an incredible view of the Moon”he said, adding that “European astronauts will fly to the Gateway to live and work, for the first time, in deep space.”
ESA announced in November last year its intention to send astronauts to the moon, without estimating the dates. His partner in this understanding, NASA, wants to send astronauts back to the moon in 2024, including the first woman. Only North American astronauts were on the moon between 1969 and 1972.
ESA is already a partner of NASA in the Artemis mission, with which the United States aims to return to the moon in 2024, collaborating in the construction of the Orion spacecraft, which will take astronauts into lunar orbit.
Portugal, which has been a member of ESA since 14 November 2000, is one of the countries that make the least financial contribution to the European Space Agency, by signing its stake in 2019 with 18 million euros, equal to 0.4% of the ESA budget for that year.
Together with France, Portugal currently chairs the agency’s Ministerial Council until 2023, where the ministers responsible for space activities in ESA’s 22 member states sit.
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