Launched by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in partnership with Thales Alenia Space, the idea of humanity's first permanent lunar base may soon become a reality as part of NASA's Artemis program.
Since NASA's Gemini and Apollo programs and the Cold War-era space race, science fiction writers have expanded their horizons and begun to depict a future that is not just about visiting the moon, but about living on it. Scenes from the moon base as a standard configuration of the future are vividly shown in movies and TV series. A prime example is the classic 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, which depicts an advanced research facility on the moon, showing a future where high-tech life extends beyond Earth. The 1975 British series Space: 1999 depicts a fully operational lunar base, Base Alpha, as a center for scientific progress and space exploration.
However, as we are in 2023, such a vision remains unfulfilled (which would have been unimaginable in the early 1970s). Despite many advances in technology and a growing interest in lunar exploration, humanity still has not established a permanent base on the moon. Now, that is about to change, and plans for the first permanent lunar outpost are finally taking shape.
On Nov. 23, Thales Alenia Space announced a contract with ASI to develop a multifunctional living module (MPH), a key component of NASA's Artemis program, with the aim of creating a long-term human space on the moon. However, no specific timeline was provided, but it is expected that the module may not appear on the surface of the moon before the 2030s.
Franco Fenoglio, head of the Human Planetary Exploration and Robotics Program at Thales Alenia Space, said in a statement: "The MPH will be the first Italian living module to operate on the surface of the Moon, which is a great source of pride for our company. We have the unique technical and organizational capabilities needed to excel in this challenge. ”
This collaboration began in 2020 with a statement of intent signed by NASA and ASI in support of the Artemis program. Early agreements focused on developing crew life capabilities and related technologies for short-term lunar stays. In June 2022, ASI signed an agreement with NASA to carry out the preliminary design of the module. The project passed NASA's Elemental Start-Up Review in October, marking a major milestone. This development led ASI to designate Thales Alenia Space as the responsible unit for the further development of the project.
Thales Alenia Space has released the MPH, revealing a cylindrical design, telescopic legs, and solar panels. Despite the lack of detail, assuming the artistic rendering is accurate, the length of this pressurized module is approximately no more than 10 meters. It is undoubtedly a comfortable home for Artemis astronauts. From this base, astronauts will begin missions to conduct experimental science in the lunar environment, deploy and test new technologies, and investigate potential exploration risks.
The next important step in the project is the planned mission concept review in the first quarter of 2024. This review is critical to moving into the follow-up phase and developing the key technologies needed for a long-term lunar stay. These technologies include advanced life support systems and solutions to the pervasive lunar dust and extreme temperatures experienced near the moon's south pole. Thales Alenia Space's responsibilities include the formation of an industrial consortium to advance the project to the implementation phase. Interestingly, Thales Alenia Space is also developing three pressurized modules for the planned space station Lunar Gateway in lunar orbit – another sci-fi project that is long overdue.