Test mission to orbit the Moon sparks new space race
In the media image: NASA/Bill Ingalls
After over 50 years, the US is heading back to the Moon. Space expert Tanja Masson-Zwaan says in ‘EenVandaag’ that the test mission is an important step in the advancement of space exploration.
Masson-Zwaan says the test mission is a stepping stone on the way to further space exploration. She believes that 'it’s good that we do this, provided it’s done in a responsible way.' The Moon, she adds, offers much valuable information that could also be important for ‘life on earth’. So, it would be ‘unwise’ to call a halt to such activities.
To illustrate, Masson-Zwaan points to plans to extract water from the moon and convert it into fuel. In addition to countries such as the United States and China, commercial parties also want to compete in the search for rare raw materials, such as platinum and helium-3. She says these resources will mainly be used in space itself for the time being as transport to Earth is still too expensive: ‘That will take decades.’
National legislation alone in this area is not enough. International regulations are therefore currently being developed, says Masson-Zwaan. A UN working group will draw up guidelines for the sustainable use of space by 2027 at the latest. ‘It’s clear there’s a new space race going on’ between the US and China in particular, she says. It is expected that there will not be an actual Moon landing before 2030.
More information?
Read the article on the EenVandaag site, including the item in the broadcast (in Dutch)