Moon Exploration: Collective Public and Private Efforts Towards our Satellite

At the Space Meeting Veneto 2024 event, an engaging and comprehensive panel brought together significant private and public players to present and update their respective goals for the future exploration of the Moon. The panel, moderated by Raphael Roettgen, founder of E2MC Ventures, featured representatives from JAXA, NASA, Lockheed Martin, The Exploration Company, and Telespazio.

Representatives from NASA, Lockheed Martin and The Exploration Company. Credits: Space Voyaging/ Edoardo Giammarino — *Representatives from NASA, Lockheed Martin and The Exploration Company. Credits: Space Voyaging/Edoardo Giammarino*

SMV24, in which Space Voyaging participated as a Media Partner, was held in Venice from May 20th to May 22nd.

The Agencies’ commitment

The development of a future stable exploration of the lunar surface will increasingly require ambition from individual space agencies. This will translate into an enhancement of activities by private entities, with an increase in funding, and greater collaboration with various international actors.

Rebekah Reed, Lead, International Integration, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) at NASA, emphasized the fundamental role that the Artemis Accords and international collaborations will play within the context of NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture, which defines the elements needed for long-term, human-led scientific discovery in deep space. Of great significance is the agreement with JAXA for the development of the Lunar Cruiser pressurized rover.

*Rebekah Reed, Lead, International Integration, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) at NASA. Credits: Space Voyaging/Edoardo Giammarino*

Reed then highlighted the importance of partnerships between the agency and the private sector, like the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Moreover, as is well known, SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing two Human Landing System (HLS) projects that will enable easy and regular transfers between the NRHO lunar orbit and the surface of the satellite.

Answering to our question about the delays of the Artemis program Rebekah Reed stated: “In order to put humans on our missions, we want to do everything we can to ensure that they are safe. At this point, the determining factor will be our comfort in sending our astronauts to the Gateway and the lunar surface.”

The importance of reliable infrastructure

Marco Tantardini, European Lead for Space Strategy and BD at Lockheed Martin presented the company’s vision to carve out a key role in building infrastructure for logistics between LEO, NRHO, and Mars. The development of these key infrastructures will enable the establishment of an economy with interplanetary trade.

*Marco Tantardini, European Lead for Space Strategy and BD at Lockheed Martin. Credits: Space Voyaging/Edoardo Giammarino*

According to Tantardini, the lunar economy will primarily develop with a significant human presence at the poles, which will serve as ideal ports to Earth and Mars, along with regular scientific missions to more equatorial regions. The future of this architecture will be primarily based on water and nuclear technologies. The effort of Lockheed Martin is evident in its participation in projects like the Lunar Dawn LTV rover and the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program, scheduled to be launched in 2027.

Marco Bracati, SVP at Telespazio, provided details on the company’s plans for developing the lunar space economy. The development of infrastructure and commercial activities will be closely linked to the ability to create reliable navigation and telecommunication systems. Leveraging its extensive experience in the sector, Telespazio will actively participate in developing these capabilities through involvement in programs such as the European Space Agency’s Moonlight.

*Marco Bracati, SVP at Telespazio. Credits: Space Voyaging/Edoardo Giammarino*

As part of the Artemis program, Telespazio will continue to make available and enhance its network of Space Centers and Teleports, such as the Fucino Space Center in Italy.

For both Bracati and Tantardini, the In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) approach will be crucial for the establishment of lunar bases and commercial services.

The exploration company

Dana Baki, CCO at The Exploration Company, presented the ambitious plans of the French-German company for the rapid development of Nyx Earth, a reusable capsule capable of carrying up to 4,000 kg of payload and humans into low Earth orbit.

Baki confirmed that the first reentry demonstrator, called Bikini, will fly this summer on board Ariane 6’s maiden flight. She also announced that SpaceX will launch the second demonstrator in early 2025. The full-size capsule is set to take flight in 2027. On May 22, ESA awarded the company €25 million in funding as part of the Agency’s LEO Cargo Return initiative.

The Exploration Company aims to develop an affordable, sustainable, and open system. In fact, Nyx can be launched aboard various launch systems.

Nyx Earth and Nyx Moon. credits: Space Voayaging/ Edoardo Giammarino — *Nyx Earth and Nyx Moon. credits: Space Voayaging/Edoardo Giammarino*

There will be a lunar variant of the spacecraft that will be able to carry up to 2,500 kg on the Lunar surface, complementing CLPS’s small landers and Starship’s huge capacity. Nyx Moon will also provide hopping & refueling capability. The first launch is scheduled for 2028.