![Lunar Exploration, surface of the Moon – ESA's missions. [Image source/ European Space Agency YouTube video]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2019/1/22/660x290/b_502x220x82/lunar-exploration-surface-of-the-moon-esas-missions-image-source-european-space-agency-youtube-video_2188361.jpg "Lunar Exploration, surface of the Moon – ESA's missions. [Image source/ European Space Agency YouTube video]")
The European Space Agency wants to land on the Moon by 2025. ESA is looking at it as a business proposition. The distant place is a totally unexplored entity, in terms of geology, with an abundance of minerals which can be mined and brought back to Earth. The space agency feels humans will have to master the art of in-situ resource utilization because that is the only way to sustain journeys to the Moon, Mars and other destinations.
Daily Mail UK reports the European Space Agency has taken a major step forward for a European base on the Moon. It signed a contract with rocket maker ArianeGroup.
The objective is to establish a lunar base that will be devoted to extracting material from the lunar surface. ESA has assigned it a priority and set a target of 2025 to be ahead in the race. Such resources could meet the requirements of Earth.
PTScientists and @ArianeGroup to examine future @ESA mission on in-situ resource utilisation on the Moon.https://t.co/fLamvpMjYZ pic.twitter.com/HfL1hYzEr4
— PTScientists (@PTScientists) January 21, 2019
ESA has many rivals like NASA
The European Space Agency mission to utilize lunar resources will see Europe pitted against the likes of the US, Russia, and China. All of them have the Moon in their sights with China landing its Chang’e 4 rover on the far side, which is a totally new concept.
President Donald Trump wants NASA to return to the moon before going to Mars. For this, the American space agency has roped in private players like Elon Musk’s SpaceX to develop the necessary infrastructure like robotic landers and associated systems to extract the lunar resources. Robots can take care of many of these activities and reduce dependency on humans.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine feels a manned lunar base can happen within a decade.
As far as ESA is concerned, it will have a moon habitat in place and be operational by the year-end. It will be the FlexHab (Future Lunar Exploration Habitat) meant to accommodate the astronauts and will use solar energy to power its operations.
The Europeans want to be ahead of others
According to Telegraph UK, the Europeans have their eyes on the huge deposits of regolith or Moon Rock on the Moon. This covers vast expanses of the lunar surface to a depth of at least 12 feet. Its composition makes it a much-wanted product that can yield oxygen, water, and fuel.
#Space: ESA has signed a contract with Ariane Group to study and organize a mission to go to the Moon. The aim is to extract water and oxygen from regolith, enable an independent human presence on the Moon, and prepare for distant exploratory missions - https://t.co/PXZRmlcnnr pic.twitter.com/YObHcI1O8A
— The Royal Vox Post (@RoyalVoxPost) January 21, 2019
The European Space Agency is hopeful to start mining on the Moon by 2025 by using robotic equipment.
Space agencies agree that space mining is a crucial aspect to establish permanent lunar bases or colonies. 2019 is the fiftieth anniversary of the first Man to land on the Moon and the year when China’s rover landed on an unseen area to explore new territories. There could be some more surprises before the year ends.
